8/14/2018
I have been instructed to inform City Council members and Mayor Scarpati of the effects on Police Services with a 250,000 reduction in services from the 2019 prior adopted budget. The Police Salary Line Item (197) was underfunded by approximately $110,000. The authorized - sworn officer strength within this line item was set at 120 officers. However it was funded at 116 officers. There are presently 118 officers being paid their salaries with an expected shortfall of $110,000. It is necessary to significantly reduce overtime in order to achieve the $250,000 reduction of the overall Police Budget. The present biweekly Overtime Budget is $57,359 . The requested reduction would indicate the new biweekly Overtime Budget to be $47,744. A biweekly reduction of 9,615. In order to facilitate this large reduction in expenditures, I am required to reduce six Pro-Active Assignments and return those officers to the Patrol Division in order to significantly reduce the overtime expenditure. (It is also important to note that one of our officers is being deployed overseas for a one year period, starting in September of 2018.). The following re-assignments will take place to the Patrol Division: 1. Officer Egan (Elementary School SRO) 2. Officer Ford (NI - Meriden Green & Train Station) 3. Officer Rivera (South Meriden, Lincoln Area, Glen Hills) 4. Officer Kery (Washington Park, Stagecoach Riders, Tanglewood) 5. Lt DelMastro ( Supervisor NI Unit/SRO) 6. Sgt.McKay (Internal Affairs Unit)
The expenditures within the Overtime Line Item will be reassessed in November and make further cuts to Pro-Active Assignments as deemed necessary to perform within the Budget Parameters.