Council Adds Additional Full-Time Police Officer

At its April meeting, the borough council unanimously authorized Chief of Police Thomas Murray to hire a second full-time police officer. Chief Murray previously requested during the March meeting that council look into the possibility. The chief has had great difficulty hiring part-time officers, which the police department primarily relies upon. The police and public safety committee (councilmen Costigan (chair), Bull, and Powers) discussed and researched the issue at length and presented their proposal to council. During the meeting, Councilman Powers stated that after discussions with the treasurer, the chief, and the committee, “We feel it’s necessary to have a second full-time officer, and the money supports that.” Costigan added, “Having another full-time officer gives the police chief a lot more flexibility with scheduling and making sure we have the coverage that we need to keep the residents here safe.” Mr. Bull, who also chairs the finance committee, added that the move would cause an uptick in expenditures but would be significantly offset by a decrease in part-time hours and officers coming off the health insurance plan.

After the discussion, council voted to add a second full-time officer in a unanimous vote. In the coming weeks, Chief Murray will conduct a thorough hiring process.