Date: Fri 16-Jan-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

police-grant-Mahoney-Lysaght

Full Text:

Newtown Eligible For Grant To Hire More Police

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

US Representative James Maloney announced Wednesday that Newtown will have

funding available to it to hire three new police officers under the terms of a

US Justice Department grant program.

The town will be eligible to receive $225,000 to hire three new full-time

officers, according to the congressman.

Newtown is one of nine cities and towns across the state eligible to receive a

total of $2.025 million to hire up to 27 new police officers.

"Nothing is more important than the safety of our families. More police

officers patrolling the neighborhood beat is the concrete key to eliminating

crime on our streets, schools, and playgrounds, and creating a safer place to

raise our families. This important funding is critical to helping us reach

that goal," the congressman said.

The grant money is awarded under the Community-Oriented Policing Services

(COPS) universal hiring program, which is designed to increase the size and

effectiveness of community policing.

The grant available to the town would cover up to 75 percent of the total

salary and benefits of each officer for three years.

If the town formally accepts the grant money, it would be required to assume

the overall costs for the officers after the three years.

Adding three new patrolmen to the police department would bring its authorized

force up to 42 sworn officers.

Police Chief James E. Lysaght, Jr, said Wednesday the offer of the $225,000

grant would have to be formally accepted by the Police Commission, the Board

of Selectmen, and the Legislative Council.

Late last year, the Police Commission indicated to the federal government it

was interested in receiving any available grant money for hiring new officers.

A past manpower study of police department staffing set the goal of having a

police department with 46 officers, the chief said. A transitional goal is to

have 40 officers on staff by the year 2000.

Chief Lysaght said "We've got a rapidly growing community," noting that

there's an estimated 22,500 people living here with more than 200 new homes

built annually during the past several years. The town has about 275 miles of

roadway to patrol, he said.

"We [police] really have a large mission in town," he said, adding, "Everyone

in the community realizes [the community] is growing."

Adding manpower to the police force would allow specialized forms of patrol

work, he said. "As the challenges grow, we have to rise to meet the

challenge."