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Hampden police seek cruiser warrant placeholder and higher reserve pay amid modest budget rise
Summary
The police chief told the select board the FY27 proposal is roughly $25,000 (≈1.5%) higher mainly for contractual raises; topics included the school‑resource‑officer schedule, a placeholder warrant for a cruiser, reserve‑officer pay increases and training funding shortfalls.
The Hampden police chief presented the department's fiscal 2027 budget to the select board, saying the bottom line rose by roughly $25,000, driven mainly by contractual wage increases and personnel costs.
Chief said the department planned to propose a warrant article for a cruiser replacement and discussed trade‑in and vehicle rotation strategies to reduce lifecycle costs. The chief noted two frontline cruisers are high‑mileage and that planned replacement helps avoid large maintenance expenditures.
On the school‑resource‑officer program, board members questioned whether four hours per posting delivers value; the police chief explained contract minimums and replacement‑officer costs (four‑hour minimums) mean dedicated SRO scheduling typically requires paying a replacement officer to cover patrol shifts. "We have to schedule those shifts according to his rotation," the chief said, arguing a dedicated SRO schedule and temporary on‑site workspace yield better student interaction than ad hoc coverage.
The chief also recommended raising reserve‑officer pay (proposed increase from $25 to $28 per hour) to remain competitive with neighboring towns, and warned that mandatory state training requirements are increasing the department's training costs. The board discussed using the accumulated off‑duty account and general‑fund reserves to fund equipment or one‑time purchases but noted those monies must be moved to the general fund before being appropriated for capital purchases.
No final vote was taken on the cruiser warrant article; the board supported including a placeholder and asked staff to return with precise costs and draft warrant language before Town Meeting.
