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Whether from the Town budget hearings, the local newspapers, or conversations with other citizens, I am sure you are aware that we are seeking a 5th full-time police officer. There are many questions and concerns that have risen from this request and I’d like to address some of them here. We want to assure you that this request has been carefully researched and considered, particularly in light of the responses to the recent town wide survey, in which many of you expressed the desire for more police coverage and concern about the
increase in both traffic and the level of criminal activity. We agree with this assessment and want to provide you, the residents of Antrim, with the best possible police department we can, while maintaining a realistic budget for a town of this size. We also understand everyone’s concern about increased costs: that is why we are doing our best to mitigate the cost of a fifth officer, by reducing our current part-time staff by two, reducing the overtime budget, and why we are so aggressive in applying for grants and monies from sources other than the town.
So how do we determine when it’s time to add another officer? Most importantly, we listen to you and your concerns. We also look at other towns and their staffing levels: while each town is unique and the issues in one town may not be those of Antrim, this gives us a general idea of what most municipalities see as adequate staffing. We look at recent demographic trends and projected population growth. According to New Hampshire’s Office of Energy and Planning (OEP), Antrim’s population grew at a rate of 1.3% from 1990 to 1999. From 2000 to 2005, however, just six years versus ten, it grew at a rate of 6.4%. OEP is projecting another 3% of growth to 2010, a projection that is low, given the development that we all see taking place in our town and the surrounding area.
Given this growth, and considering the current demands on our police force, here is why Antrim needs a fifth officer:
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Citizen's request for increased coverage with Antrim Officers |
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Citizen's request for increased traffic enforcement |
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Citizen's request for reduction in criminal activity |
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Necessary to maintain adequate services while maintaining a high proactive level |
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Maintain acceptable levels of staff commensurate with growth and recommendations from various sources |
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Requests and improvements for increased community and school activities |
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Necessary to effectively manage a high level of activity, case load and inter-department responsibilities within the department |
Some residents have asked why we need a fifth officer when there have been instances of two officers riding together in one cruiser. Although patrol with two officers in the same cruiser does not happen routinely or often, occasionally there are reasons for two officers to patrol together in the same cruiser. From time to time it is important for supervisors to be with our officers to evaluate them, to see what concerns they may have, and to maintain positive morale. Also, high priority calls where officer safety may be of concern require two officers.
I know some residents are concerned that we do not always have 24-hour coverage. In fact, there is 24-hour coverage, although it may not necessarily be with an Antrim officer. I too am concerned that we do not always have an Antrim Officer on duty 24 hours a day. I spent the first eleven years of my police career in a department that mandated a minimum of two police officers on duty at any given time. This was established in the 1980’s not only because of the high demand of police services, but to increase officer safety. We are now faced with not having a sufficient number of officers to provide 24-hour coverage with our own personnel.
My philosophy, and the philosophy of this department in regard to police coverage, is that we should have a uniformed officer on duty twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week…and “coverage” does not mean having an officer “on-call.”
I want everyone in Antrim to know that we are very proud of our service to you. The overall budget increase this year is approximately $20,000 including salaries, fuel, training, etc. We feel that our budget can provide a significant increase in the police protection that you have requested and deserve. I would also like to add that if anyone is interested, a Zero-Based Manpower Plan has been completed to emphasize the need for the fifth officer. This is available on the Town’s Web Site and at the police department. Should you have any questions on this information please contact me at any time.
Respectfully submitted,
Todd E. Feyrer
Chief of Police
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