Milford cop chief submits budget request

By NOELLE FRAMPTON
Staff writer
ConnPost Updated: 11/17/2008 11:45:20 PM EST

MILFORD -- Police Chief Keith Mello is asking the city for two more police officers, two part-time ticket writers to patrol downtown and money to create a juvenile holding area.

The chief presented his budget requests for the 2009-10 fiscal year Monday night to the Board of Police Commissioners, and the board unanimously approved them, with two members missing.

"We try to really keep costs to a minimum," Mello told the commissioners, adding that he anticipates a difficult budget season.

He said he won't request replacement of the department's boat, which blew its engine and would cost $40,000 to fix, nor cameras in patrol cars, at $6,200 each.

But the department needs more officers because call volume has steadily increased over the past several years, and two part-time community service officers would take the burden off police assigned downtown, he said.

Two more officers would cost more than $100,600 between them in salaries, not including benefits.

Commissioner Thomas Zawislinski said the city's growth has outstripped the police department's and more officers are overdue.

Parking tickets have slightly declined since officers stationed downtown have turned attention to the sometimes troublesome crowds coming to Milford Superior Court, Mello said. Mello believes the part-timers, dressed in khaki uniforms and not to be confused with police officers, would cost relatively little considering the additional revenue they would bring in from illegally parked cars.

Also, the department must create a booking area for juveniles, because state law will require 16- and 17-year-olds to be held out of sight and sound from adults starting in 2010, he said.

The chief is requesting $225,000 for new patrol cars, $129,506 for computer upgrades and maintenance and $33,081 for updated computer software, such as traffic counter and accident reconstruction programs, which he said are overdue.

Also in the proposed budget is $21,000 for new bullet-proof vests -- they wear out within five years -- and $4,450 for four more Tasers to add to the seven the department has. Mello said he's trying to phase them in so every officer will have one some day.

Vice Chairwoman Alberta Jagoe said she hopes other commissioners will support the request as it goes through the budget process.