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Chief reports staffing relief as officer returns and recruitment continues
Summary
The police chief said an employee recently returned, moving staff from an average of 60 weekly overtime hours toward a 40-hour schedule; the chief also said a recruit in the academy is halfway through training and emphasized recruitment and background investigation timelines for future academy classes.
The town's police chief told the board that an officer recently returned from leave, easing a heavy overtime burden and allowing regular staffing levels to move back toward a 40-hour week.
"Instead of the staff working an average of 60 hours a week, we're going to be able to go back to 40 hours," the chief said, adding that the candidate in the academy is "roughly halfway done" and is performing well academically and physically. The chief said the department wants to accelerate recruitment to fill upcoming academy slots and noted that background investigations are time-consuming, estimating about a three-month process to vet a candidate.
Why it matters: restoring regular staffing levels reduces overtime costs and may improve response times and officer well-being. The chief requested the board's support for recruitment efforts aimed at the August academy and flagged the multi-month timeline to complete background checks and clearances.
Next steps: the department will continue recruitment and screening, with the goal of identifying candidates for the August academy and returning to a steadier schedule.
