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Wolfeboro police report accreditation progress, staffing gaps and ordered cruisers
Summary
At the March 12 joint Select Board and Wolfeboro Police Commission meeting, Chief Chris Warn said the department has updated more than 100 policies and is approaching a mock accreditation approval; he also reported three vacancies, a recent SRO-to-detective reassignment and that new cruisers were ordered pending Ford delivery.
At a March 12 quarterly meeting, Wolfeboro Police Chief Chris Warn told the Select Board and members of the Wolfeboro Police Commission that the department has updated more than 100 policies and procedures and is nearing a mock-approval stage in the accreditation process, with a goal of completing the mock approval by the end of summer.
Chief Warn said the accreditation work pauses at times when the department’s background investigator, Andy Shagoury, is engaged in hiring investigations, but that the policy updates are substantially complete. He told the boards the department expects to move into a mock approval process after the remaining work is finished.
Warn also outlined personnel and operational matters. He said the department currently has three openings; one candidate has a conditional offer of employment and another potential hire is a certified officer. Warn cautioned that the police budget is tight and staff are monitoring spending closely.
On fleet replacement, Warn said new cruisers were ordered the day of the meeting and that delivery timing depends on Ford Motor Company; once delivered, vehicles must be fitted with equipment (outfitting that Commissioner Steve Wood noted is performed by Two-Way and can add time before cars enter service).
The department reported five arrests in February involving nine offenses and said collisions—both minor and major—are more common this time of year. Warn said the department hopes to address collision trends through public education about motor vehicle laws.
Warn also said one student resource officer position has been shifted into a hybrid detective role. He described the reassignment as part of staffing and workload adjustments rather than a reduction in school safety coverage.
The chief reported a meeting earlier that day with the construction company, architect and Fire Chief to address HVAC and ice buildup issues at the department’s new building. During the meeting several commissioners praised Warn’s leadership and said the department’s work has changed some residents’ opinions about local policing.
The department did not provide firm delivery dates for the cruisers or a timeline for final accreditation approval; Warn said those dates depend on external vendors and remaining internal tasks.
The boards recessed to a non-public session later in the meeting and returned before adjourning at 6:03 P.M.
