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Police chief requests 3.48% budget increase, seeks full-time administrative assistant and mental-health support
Summary
Waldoboro’s police chief told the Select Board and budget committee the department budget is up 3.48%, citing contractual pay increases and a request to convert a part-time administrative assistant to full time (about $22,000). He highlighted 235 mental‑health calls and proposed exploring a mental‑health ride‑along pilot.
The police chief presented the department’s budget, saying the total is up 3.48% largely because of contractual raises and a proposed payroll change to make the administrative assistant a full‑time position at an estimated additional cost of about $22,000 including benefits. "We’re currently full staff," the chief said, adding that two officers currently opt out of benefits, which he expects will moderate the overall benefit cost.
The chief gave operational numbers to explain the request: "228 arrests last year," roughly "a little over 10,000 calls to service" and "235 mental health calls," the chief said, noting those calls consume substantial officer time and reduce capacity for proactive, self‑initiated policing. He described many drug‑related arrests as small possession charges generated while trying to develop cases for regional drug enforcement partners.
To address the time‑consuming nature of behavioral‑health calls, the chief proposed exploring a mental‑health first‑aid worker who could ride along with officers a few days per week to handle nonviolent calls more effectively and reduce repeated, inefficient interactions. "We're not mental health workers," he said, arguing the department needs options to hand off noncriminal, clinical work.
On capital, the chief asked for a small office renovation—about $4,000 largely for electrical work and materials—to create a receptionist area and med‑take box, and for a replacement pickup vehicle to keep the fleet reliable. He also noted routine maintenance items including an expected large tire purchase and ongoing vehicle upkeep.
Committee members pressed for comparisons to prior years, reimbursement policies for special details such as school events, and how benefit elections by new hires affect the forecast. Staff offered to provide a more detailed line‑item breakdown at an upcoming meeting.
Why it matters: The administrative assistant request is pitched as a force multiplier—freeing officers for patrol and court work—while the mental‑health ride‑along proposal seeks to reduce repeated crisis interactions and link residents to services. The committee will review the detailed breakdown before final budget votes.
