Police and fire leaders tell Select Board staffing and budget pressures will affect services
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Summary
Fire and police department reports said EMS makes up a large share of calls, staffing gaps persist on ambulance shifts, and the police department said an ARPA-funded cruiser is expected soon and warned of budget cuts unless voters approve a Proposition 2—2 override for staffing.
Templeton public-safety leaders updated the Select Board on fourth-quarter activity and told members that emergency medical calls account for a large share of department workload, staffing gaps remain on ambulance shifts and budget limits could reduce services without voter action.
Fire department: The fire chief reported 368 emergency calls and 48 inspections in the fourth quarter, slightly down from the prior year. The chief said roughly 75%–80% of calls are EMS-related and that the department provides 24/7 ambulance coverage but sometimes relies on a single paramedic plus an EMT on a shift because of staffing and contract limitations. The chief said adding one more full-time firefighter-paramedic per shift would allow the department to maintain two paramedics on each shift consistently; he said staffing depends on recruitment and the constraints of the union contract.
Police department: Sergeant Fliss presented police activity totals for the quarter: arrests (7), assists to other agencies (42), investigations (81), restraining orders (4), motor-vehicle citations (67) and 5,730 dispatch calls with 3,757 calls for police service. The department said an ARPA-funded cruiser approved in December should arrive soon and be in service in weeks; the department plans to decommission its oldest cruiser after the new vehicle enters service.
Budget and staffing outlook: The police representative said the department anticipates notable reductions to services if voters do not approve a Proposition 2—2 override for 2.5 additional staffing for the department in future years. The board heard that the department has initiated a cruiser maintenance program that has reduced repair costs and that ARPA funds paid for station flooring, parking-lot sealing and radio upgrades.
Next steps: No board action was taken. Members thanked staff for the reports and discussed continuing recruitment efforts and the timeline for the new cruiser entering service.