The Hudson Board of Selectmen voted recently to support moving two potential warrant articles forward to the ballot this March, related to Police Department personnel.
One of the proposed warrant articles would be to hire a full-time prosecutor.
If the warrant article reaches the ballot it would call for the Town to raise and appropriate “$163,380 which represents the cost of wages and benefits necessary to hire one full-time.”
It was explained as part of the background that the “Hudson Police Department is requesting voter approval to add one police prosecutor attorney position to provide the additional capacity necessary to effectively manage the Department’s growing criminal caseload.”
“ Serving approximately 25,000 residents, Hudson Police handles more than 31,000 calls for service annually, resulting in approximately 2,600 offense reports and 1,250 arrests each year,” the background statement read. “Each criminal case requires significant work beyond the initial investigation and arrest, including case review, legal research, preparation of complaints and motions, coordination with officers and witnesses, court appearances, plea negotiations, and trial preparation.”
It also explained that the “widespread use of body worn cameras,” has “ significantly increased the amount of evidence that must be reviewed as part of the prosecution process. “
“A single case may contain hours of body-camera footage from multiple responding officers, all of which may require careful review in preparation for hearings, negotiations, and trial,” the background statement read.
With more cases, and more complex cases the idea is that it would help with case load, and help “ensure cases are thoroughly prepared, court obligations are handled in a timely manner, and officers receive the legal support necessary throughout the prosecution process.”
Another potential warrant article voted to move forward by the Board of Selectmen, is to hire two new full-time police officers.
As of now the proposed warrant article would ask Hudson voters permission to raise and appropriate $253,322 which represents the cost of wages and benefits necessary for the two additional positions.
“The Hudson Police Department is requesting voter approval to add two police officer positions to help ensure the Department can continue providing the level of public safety service our community expects,” the warrant article background statement read. “Serving approximately 25,000 residents, Hudson Police handles more than 31,000 calls for service annually, including approximately 2,600 offense reports, 1,250 arrests, 535 motor vehicle crashes, and nearly 9,900 motor vehicle stops.”
It was explained that patrol officers “provide coverage 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with minimum staffing of four officers on days, four on evenings, and three on midnights. At these minimum staffing levels, a single serious or complex incident requiring multiple officers can significantly reduce the number of officers available to respond to additional calls throughout the community.”
“Arrests, motor vehicle crashes, domestic disturbances, mental health calls, and other complex incidents can also require officers to remain committed for extended periods of time,” the background information stated. “The addition of two police officers will provide greater flexibility to maintain adequate staffing during periods of high call volume, required training, vacations, and other absences, while improving the Department’s ability to safely manage simultaneous calls for service.”
It was also noted that the additional staffing would help preserve necessary time for proactive patrolling including traffic enforcement, neighborhood and business patrols, community engagement, and crime prevention activities.
