Many more cops needed, says police chief

Though Bristol’s population hasn’t grown much in more than two decades, the police department is eyeing a massive increase in the number of officers.
In a recent report on space needs, which urges construction of a new police headquarters to handle the rising number of public safety personnel, Police Chief John DiVenere recommends adding two dozen more employees to the 151 positions the department has now.
“There is no doubt that the thought of hiring these additional positions will shock some people,” DiVenere said, “especially considering the cost involved.”
But, he cautioned, he is merely laying out a plan for the next five to 10 years, not making a request for immediate hiring.
The department already has 12 percent more police officers than it did in 1998 – 125 compared to 112 – and its civilian staff has risen from seven to 26.
But that’s not enough to keep up with rising demands, the chief said.
“The police department needs to grow to keep up with the demand for service from the community,” DiVenere wrote in the Oct. 10 report for Mayor William Stortz and police commissioners.
In his report, the chief said that during the next decade, he needs to add a captain, seven detectives, two sergeants, 12 police officers, two dispatchers, a dispatch supervisor and two civilians.
In some cases, it might be possible to reassign existing positions, the chief said, but his report mentions only a sergeant and a police officer that could be shifted. The other slots would apparently need new employees.
If the department were to add 20 more police officers of various ranks, it would have 145, for a 29 percent rise in the number of police since 1998 at a time when the city’s population is expected to have climbed less than 2 percent.
DiVenere’s report addresses the reason why police needs are rising faster than the population is growing in Bristol.
While acknowledging that the number of residents “has not changed very much,” the chief said that “what has changed and what will continue to evolve is the demographics of the city, its new or proposed industrial and commercial growth and the addition of the new Route 72 extension into Bristol.”
“All these point to the need for a police department that can address these issues for the safety and welfare of our citizens,” DiVenere said.
“We must expand our services and our coverage of the city to encourage business growth and the maintenance and relocation of families into the city as well,” DiVenere said.
“When these segments look to relocate, they not only look at the quality of the educational system within the community but they also look to the safety and overall crime issues in that area,” the chief reported.
He said there “is no doubt that the police department has grown in size during the past several years,” but that’s because “it is being called on to address more non-traditional policing areas than ever before.”
“No longer is our sole focus crime and accident prevention,” DiVenere said. “Code enforcement, youth programs, internet crimes, community policing, emergency operations, polygraph and technology issues all strain our staffing levels, but are necessary programs for today.”
The chief said the department’s core functions, patrol and criminal investigations, also need to grow to keep up with rising demand.
Additional help is also needed for evidence collection and identification, technology, communications, training, school resources and traffic, he said.
DiVenere said that downtown development will also increase the demand for services, including more foot patrols “to maintain a level of safety in the downtown area. This alone will necessitate an increase in our patrol staff.”
At this point, police commissioners and city leaders are reviewing the chief’s report. No decisions have been made.


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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com