Police Propose 12 Percent Budget Increase for FY 2007-08

By Andrew Gorosko

In its basic budget proposal for the 2007-08 fiscal year, the Police Commission proposes that the police department receive $3,792,090 in public funds, representing a $414,110 increase in spending over its current $3,377,980 budget, reflecting a 12.25 percent spending hike.

The Police Commission endorsed the $3.79 million budget proposal on November 28. The spending proposal will be subject to review and possible changes by the Board of Selectmen, the Board of Finance, and the Legislative Council before submission to voters for action next spring.

In absolute dollars, the largest spending increase would come in the area of pay and benefits for sworn police officers, in which that account would increase from $2,435,209 to $2,804,665, reflecting a $369,456 spending hike, or 15 percent increase.

In explaining that spending proposal, Police Chief Michael Kehoe states in the budget documents that the increased spending stems from contractual agreements reached between the town and the Newtown Police Union. The $369,456 sum reflects two years of raises, he said, noting that the preceding police budget did not include such raises.

Last April, following a year of negotiations, the town and the Newtown Police Union reached a three-year work contract for police officers that expires on June 30, 2008.

Payment for the police chief and police captain are negotiated separately. The budget proposal recommends that each of their salaries be increased by 3.5 percent, which would hike the police chief’s annual pay to $91,306, and hike the captain’s salary to $83,444. The chief and captain do not belong to the police union.

Also, in the 2007-08 budget proposal, the Police Commission proposes that the police department’s complement of sworn officers expand from 45 to 47 people.

The document proposes that those two posts be added to the police department roster in early 2008.

One of the two new positions would be a uniformed police patrol officer.

The other new job would be a sergeant’s position. That person would be attached to the department’s administrative/support services bureau.

Having an additional patrol officer would allow the department to better handle increased calls for service, especially in the area of traffic law enforcement, according to the budget documents.

Chief Kehoe notes that the police department received authorization last year for a 45th sworn officer toward the formation of a planned traffic control unit. That unit would develop and traffic safety and enforcement projects.

“The demands from the public for traffic enforcement and traffic safety initiatives have dramatically increased, as traffic congestion, dangerous driving, and gridlock have become more prevalent in the community,” according to Chief Kehoe.

The new sergeant would supervise the traffic unit and would assist the administrative lieutenant. Adding an administrative sergeant to the police department would allow for a more efficient use of staff time in handling an increasing load of administrative matters, according to the police chief.

Also, Police Commission members on November 28 approved a secondary budget, which covers police officers’ private duty assignments. Such work includes traffic control for construction projects and police monitoring of privately sponsored gatherings. The private groups that receive police coverage pay for that coverage.

The commission budgeted that item at $150,000 for fiscal 2007-08, which is the same amount as was budgeted for the current fiscal year.

In the area of capital spending, the Police Commission proposes the purchase of new police patrol cars to replace aging vehicles. It also proposes acquiring some replacement mobile computers for use in patrol cars; replacement closed-circuit television cameras for surveillance at the police station, and replacement radar units for traffic speed enforcement.