Greenwich police ask for budget increase to fill 14 vacancies, add records and evidence staff

Chief Heavy, Greenwich's police chief, told town officials that the police department is seeking a FY27 operating budget of about $28 million, an increase he described as roughly 4.57% that reflects continuing payroll pressures and several requested new positions.

"Ninety percent of my budget is payroll," Chief Heavy said, and noted the department is down 14 sworn officers. He and staff said vacancies and school security assignments have pushed overtime higher and that filling vacancies will take many months because recruits spend roughly a year in the state academy and additional months in required state training.

The chief asked the town to consider several personnel changes: adding a second full-time FOI/records position to handle growing body-camera and records requests, converting a part-time property-and-evidence clerk to full time to meet accreditation tracking needs, and adding a third animal-control officer to reduce overtime and improve weekend coverage. Harry, a town liaison to the public safety group, and David Weissrod both told the meeting they supported an additional FOI position and were inclined to support the property-and-evidence request; they were more cautious on the animal-control addition given current overtime levels.

Chief Heavy said the department is "actively recruiting and trying to retain the officers we have," but that neighboring agencies' pension benefits and other incentives have drawn candidates away. He warned that while new hires shorten the vacancy count on paper, it takes months before newly hired officers can be posted to patrol. "It takes seven and a half months to get through the academy and then statemandated training for three months; it's almost a full year from assignment to available," he said.

The chief also stressed accreditation and evidence-management requirements as part of the justification for staff increases. He credited Lieutenant Tim Kelly for leading a successful multi-year accreditation review and said keeping accreditation (tier three at the state level) increases the recordkeeping and property-handling workload.

Town staff agreed to reconcile some presentation numbers with the published budget book (slides omitted requested positions on one slide), and human resources committee chair Elliot asked the department to bring position worksheets and job descriptions to the HR committee ahead of the committee's Feb. 25 meeting so the board can act before the March 3 vote.

The meeting recessed before moving to parking and other agenda items. The department said added staffing requests will be taken up with HR and finance and that budget numbers may be adjusted pending those committee discussions.