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Commission hears dispatch move, crime statistics and budget adjustments
Summary
Deputy Chief told the commission dispatch was moved to Fire Station 2 while remediation begins at police headquarters; crime statistics showed reduced calls and arrests versus a three‑year average; finance staff reviewed FY27 budget adjustments and pending grants.
The Portsmouth Police Commission received several department operation updates on April 21, including a temporary dispatch relocation, department crime statistics and budget and grant activity.
Deputy Chief reported that, that morning, dispatch operations (police and fire) were moved from police headquarters to Fire Station 2 on Lafayette Road and that the facility is being used as the primary dispatch center while remediation work begins. "We're using it as our primary dispatch center," the deputy chief said, adding that remediation work in the police dispatch area, including console replacement and HVAC improvements, is expected to start in early May with a projected return to the police facility in late August or early September if the schedule holds.
The crime-analyst report compared April figures to a three-year average and noted overall calls for service of 6,665 (a 35% reduction) and arrests down to 165 from the three-year average of 216. Motor-vehicle crashes and offense reports also trended down in the period described; department staff attributed some decreases to winter conditions and staffing shortages.
Finance staff Karen presented the financial report and FY27 budget adjustments. The FY27 budget originally discussed was $16,452,953; after moving $210,400 into nonoperating lines and other minor reductions, staff reported a revised figure of $16,225,957, representing a 7.73% increase over FY26. Major cost drivers cited included health insurance and workers' compensation. Karen also outlined pending grants: a requested JAG grant to the county for $13,827 to help unify rifle inventory and potential federal IT infrastructure funding still in process.
Department leadership said they would return with requests to release designated funds for equipment if grants are approved; the commission did not vote on budget approvals at the meeting. The meeting packet contained patrol and court-office reports, and the commission scheduled its next regular meeting for May 19, 2026, before adjourning by voice vote.
