Greetings from the Chief of Police
Now that Hurricane Sandy has passed, the Police Department and all our residents can return to more traditional fall activities. This month I will share some thoughts about Hurricane preparedness, recent activities of the Department, and the upcoming FY14 budget cycle.
Hurricanes and Disaster Preparedness
The Police Department has made great progress in developing and implementing plans for disaster preparedness. The towns of Provincetown and Truro now have a signed “Inter-Municipal Agreement” for the shared use of a Shelter in Provincetown: the Veteran’s Memorial School. The recent construction at this location has taken into account the needs of a Shelter; and it will be well suited to that role, including accommodating pets. Over the course of the winter, the two towns will be working on the “Operations Plan” for the Shelter, which is really the Policies and Procedures used any time the Shelter is utilized. Part of this planning is coordinating services among the Police, Fire, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Emergency Management, Public Health, Council on Aging, Department of Public Works, Red Cross, outside vendors (food supplies), and the Barnstable County Emergency Planning Committee. Each has a role to play in Shelter operations and support.
Frequently I’m asked why Truro can’t have its own Shelter. Although we might like to, it all boils down to resources and support. When a Shelter is opened, it has to be staffed 24 hours a day with members from most of the groups listed above during the whole time the Shelter is open. That is a very labor-intensive undertaking, considering that once someone is assigned to duty at a Shelter, he or she cannot leave to answer a call or to help at another location. Truro simply does not have the trained staff to be able to provide that service on a 24-hour continuous basis. Accordingly, as most towns do, we have entered into an agreement that allows the shared use of a facility, which spreads the staffing burden to a manageable level.
For your own disaster preparedness I encourage you to visit the Police Department and Town web pages for links to information on how to prepare and how to safeguard your families in times of disaster.
Fiscal Year 2014 Budget
The time of year has come to prepare the budgets for next year. Just as a reminder, the budget is submitted in November but acted upon in April at Town Meeting for the following July-to-June fiscal year. In April of 2013 the Town will appropriate monies to be spent from July 1, 2013 thru June 30, 2014. Hence, the FY14 budget.
As I work on the budget I examine what we have spent during the past year, verify that it’s really necessary, and attempt to re-align any funds within the budget that can be better utilized. We are stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars; and, moving forward, money will continue to be tight. Our Board of Selectmen has provided initial guidance indicating it wants us to level fund our budgets, with the exception of negotiated wage increases. For any other increases, we must provide justification through the Budget Task Force, the Finance Committee, and, finally, the Board of Selectmen. I anticipate slight increases in three areas: energy generated from gasoline, salaries, and training costs.
The reason for the increase in training costs is because the State of Massachusetts Police Training Committee, which regulates police training, has indicated (for a second consecutive year) that it will not fund the required 32 hours of yearly, in-service training per officer as it has in the past. What this means for our Department is that we now have to pay fees per officer, per subject matter, and in some cases instructor costs for the training. Also, in many cases and because we have a small Department with a limited staff per shift, when we send the officer away for training, that officer's shift must be covered by another, which, in turn, costs additional overtime monies.
Now, I realize we don’t live in a fiscal environment where there is a never-ending pool of money from which to draw; so I have taken steps to mitigate these budget impacts. Our first steps have been to examine closely the staffing schedule and to adjust the shift coverage.
Also, I have put into practice the role for the Lieutenant and for me to assist in covering the shifts when possible. That is why you still will see us on the road answering calls or assisting our officers as well as performing our administrative and leadership responsibilities. We also have looked at all our excess equipment and property to trade-in, auction, or dispose of in order to return some money to the General Fund. So far this year we have received just under Seven Thousand Dollars for vehicles. Just recently the Selectmen authorized us to dispose of additional property, which already has yielded a return. The chair of the Finance Committee has offered to assist us in developing long-term strategic plans for our budget. I look forward to working with him to put in place financial controls which assure us and the taxpayers of solid practices for future spending.
This year you will see a capital improvement request for a replacement police car. Once again I will trade in a vehicle to help reduce the cost of the car and to avoid expanding the fleet. Additionally, we have a serious deficiency with the lightning protection for the Public Safety Facility. The Town has contracted with an engineering firm to assess the current state of our protection and to make recommendations for properly protecting the personnel working in the building and all the systems (equipment) used to operate the Police and Fire Station.
Leadership
Sergeant Carrie DeAngelo and Heidi Dyer, the Telecommunication Supervisor, recently graduated from the two-week Command Training First Line Supervisors Program at Roger Williams University’s Justice Institute. This was the first time the Justice Institute enrolled a non-sworn Police Officer into its course. Supervisor Dyer has direct responsibility and authority for four full-time and five part-time personnel. It only makes sense to provide her with the best leadership training opportunities we can afford to our Patrol Sergeants. The institute was impressed with Sergeant DeAngelo's and Supervisor Dyer’s professionalism, enthusiasm, and contributions to the program. This is the first formal step in their leadership training continuum that will occur throughout their careers. We all should be proud of their accomplishments.
School Zone
Just as a helpful reminder, the School Zone on Route 6 in front of Truro Central School is activated from 7:45 a.m. until 8:45 a.m. and from 2:45 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. I must ask that as you travel on Route 6, remember that the speed is reduced to 20 MPH during the crossing times and that you must stay at 20 MPH until you are past the “School Zone Ends” signs, which are opposite the yellow flashing light poles. Too many people speed up as soon as they pass the Police Officer, so I ask that you help us by observing the limits and keeping the School Zone Safe.
Ride-along Program
As always, our ride-along program is still available. It’s a great way to gain some insight into the police profession and, specifically, policing here in Truro. If you're interested in riding with a Police Officer, please stop by or give us a call at 508-487-8730. Also, please check our website, which is updated frequently at www.truropolice.org.
My information is below, and I’m interested in hearing your thoughts and concerns.
Kyle Takakjian
Chief of Police
Truro Police Department
344 Rte 6, PO Box 995, Truro MA 02666
508-487-8730 Fax 508-487-8736
takakjian@truropolice.org
See www.truropolice.org for weekly logs, press releases, and other useful information.
