By Giovanni Mio
There are currently 107 officers in the Hamden Police Department. However, according to the increased crime rate in the town, Police Chief Thomas Wydra believes Hamden should add more officers.
“When you put everything together, our department needs to grow,” Wydra said. “It needs to grow more proportional to the growth that we have seen in other areas.”
Wydra says that the amount of officers added over the past few years has not been consistent with the crime rates. He thinks that if Hamden adds one officer per-year to reach his goal of 111, his staff can respond quicker.
“I don’t know anyone who is against hiring police officers,” Legislative Council President James Pascarella said. “However, our budgetary constraints are severe. We may just have to nib away at it. We’ll have to assess it on an annual basis.”
With the budget closing on May 12, Pascarella wants to aim his budget towards departments that are suffering. While adding more officers is something Wydra and Pascarella agree on, other departments need the money more.
“The police department does have its full compliment of officers,” Pascarella said. “The fire department does not have its full compliment of firefighters. We’re five short, which places a great deal of burden on their overtime and their hours.”
Follow us on Twitter!
