Watertown Police Commission approves Nov. minutes; chief details staffing, training and radio upgrades

The Watertown Police Commission on Wednesday approved the Nov. 12, 2025, meeting minutes and heard Police Chief John Caballos deliver the department’s monthly activity report for December 2025.

"The Watertown Police Department has 1 sworn vacancy due to Officer Nikitas' resignation," Police Chief John Caballos said, adding that an entry-level candidate will be sworn in by the town clerk on Friday, Jan. 23, and will attend the New Haven Police Academy beginning Monday, Jan. 26. Caballos said the academy lasts approximately six months.

Caballos told commissioners a conditional offer has been extended to a second entry-level candidate who is intended to fill the mandatory retirement vacancy created by Sergeant Jay Demarest’s exit under the DROP program; a background investigation for that candidate is underway.

The chief also reported personnel challenges in non-sworn roles: the town is negotiating with the white-collar union to convert the assistant animal control officer from a 20-hour-per-week position to full time, and the department made four conditional offers for a part-time role, three candidates withdrew after learning pay and hours and one hire resigned in less than a month.

On communications infrastructure, Caballos said the radio upgrade project remains on schedule. Construction at new tower sites on Judd Farm Road and Black Rock Dam is complete, and the first of three dispatch radio consoles was installed this month; the remaining consoles will be upgraded after dispatcher training and the project should be finished later this year.

Caballos said two current officers are on light duty due to off-duty injuries and that a second candidate for communications supervisor has received a conditional offer and is undergoing a background check. He also reported that planned citizen police academies prompted mixed interest: the adult academy was canceled after only two applicants, while the youth academy will likely continue.

The department has taken delivery of a new animal control vehicle; Caballos said it is being outfitted with a radio, mobile data terminal and graphics and is expected to enter service in the coming weeks. He concluded by offering to answer questions; none were raised by commissioners.

The meeting opened at 7:01 p.m. with Vice Chairman David Genetti presiding in Chairman Antonetti’s absence, and adjourned after the chief’s report following a motion and vote to adjourn.

Next procedural steps noted in the report include the Jan. 23 swearing-in and the Jan. 26 academy start; no timeline was given for filling the communications supervisor position beyond ongoing background checks.