rocess of hiring a new police officer.

At the August meeting of the Finance / Personnel Committee, Police Chief Joseph Angelino had informed the committee that one of his officers had transferred to a different department. The committee had questioned whether or not the position needed to be refilled.

“I hope by the end of the night, we can look for a patrolman to fill the vacancy,” Mayor Joseph Maiurano said at the beginning of the discussion Tuesday. The mayor and First Ward Alderman Robert Carey said they had both received calls and letters from community members stating they wanted to see the position filled.

Sixth Ward Alderman Robert Jeffrey explained he is concerned with both public safety and the financial implications of filling the position. “I think the position is necessary. I’m in support of the safety of the public, but I would like to see the budget numbers in order to make a better decision,” Jeffrey said.

Fourth Ward Alderman Walter Schermerhorn agreed that the budget is a concern, but said he felt the position must be filled. “The budget is an important issue, but safety is critical. We went to the 12-hour shifts, and we can’t turn our back on that,” Schermerhorn said. The department made a voluntary switch to four 12-hour shifts, with four officers on at all times. With one officer out of the rotation, the department is racking up overtime and Angelino has said safety is a concern.