Tiverton Council okays hire of five new officers

Chief says public safety needs added staffing

By Tom Killin Dalglish
Posted 9/22/17

TIVERTON — By a vote of 6-1 the Town Council at its meeting Monday night voted to hire five new police officers. Councilor Christine Ryan cast the lone vote against.

The five have just completed their 12-week field training and before that, on May 26, the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy's 26-week program.

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Tiverton Council okays hire of five new officers

Chief says public safety needs added staffing

Posted

TIVERTON — By a vote of 6-1 the Town Council at its meeting Monday night, Sept. 11, voted to hire five new police officers. Councilor Christine Ryan cast the lone vote against.
The five have just completed their 12-week field training and before that, on May 26, the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy's 26-week program.
The new hires will bring the police force to 32 officers, which includes the chief and the school resource officer, said Police Chief Thomas Blakey, in a memo to Town Administrator Paul McGreevy that was presented to, and discussed at length by, the town council at its meeting.
"The current police budget has been carefully reviewed and I am extremely confident that this budget will support the hiring of all five officers," Chief Blakey wrote. The chief was present at the council meeting and discussed the proposed force increase at length with council members.
"A quick review of the police department's monthly activity report for August 2017 shows increases in police activity in many areas," Chief Blakey said in his memo, and in testimony to the council Monday night.
There have been "substantial increases in the areas of motor vehicle violations, motor vehicle accidents, drug and narcotic violations, crimes against society, an increase in the number of calls for service, and most notable a 261 percent increase in the number of drunk driving incidents," Chief Blakey said.
The proposed casino was not identified as a basis for the need for additional sworn officers. "The number has nothing to do with the casino; it relates to police activity," the chief said.
The five new officers will cut down the need for overtime, the chief told the council, and overtime generates a need for additional expenditures.
“This is a substantial number over the budget," said Councilor Patricia Hilton. "It makes me very uncomfortable.'
"What bothers me is, there's nothing that ties this to need," she said. "And we're going from 26 officers under the current contract to 32."
"If you want your streets safe, it costs money to do so," Chief Blakey said. "Historically my budget has been fair and on the spot."
Chief Blakey's estimation in Monday night's presentation was that $53,000 would be needed to support the new officers. Among the numbers of revenue sources, or savings, he identified that would support meeting the increased need for funds, were the following:
• A lieutenant recently left the force, leaving his salary available for reallocation ($29,062), to which would be added his benefits ($24,000);
• Budgeted longevity for four officers who recently left the department ($15,759);
• $12,915 savings, since three of the new recruits opted out of the town's health insurance plan;
• Savings in education expenses. Veterans have completed their education; new recruits aren't allowed to get college expenses paid for during their probationary period;
• $20,000 in sick leave buy-back;
• Overtime reduction due to increased staffing;
• Increased construction has generated the need for using police vehicles for private details, which results in revenues to the department. "I anticipate the detail funds to exceed $16,000," the chief said, which was the figure given to him by the town treasurer's office at the end of the last fiscal year.

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