Police Committee Minutes 12-8-2025

Police Committee Minutes 12-8-2025

RUTLAND TOWN SELECTBOARD COMMITTEE MEETING

POLICE COMMITTEE

DECEMBER 8^th, 2025

The Police Committee of the Rutland Town Selectboard met at 1:00 PM on Monday December 8^th, 2025, at the Municipal Town Hall. Present were Selectboard Chair Mary Ashcroft, Selectboard Member Matt Getty, Town Police Chief Ed Dumas, Town Deputy Police Chief Ted Washburn, and Town 2^nd Constable John Paul Faignant.

Discussed the updates to the draft budget.

• Numbers for benefits have been added.
• Discussed adding funds to cover the cost of mental health services for our Police Department. It is $6900 annually, billed monthly. This would be part of implementing a health and wellness program. These services would be provided on a quarterly basis as well as short term as needed and can include critical incident stress debriefing. Any member of the roster is covered. The committee is in favor of recommending this to the full board at the budget meeting.
• Discussed future staffing in the department after Chief Dumas retires. A fourth officer will be needed, and funding is included. Some funds will be kept in the Deputy Chief line to allow officers to take on increased roles while the Chief is on vacation.
• The projected reimbursement received for the school resource officer was increased slightly.
• Discussed future replacements of vehicles on the current schedule and the availability of funds in the depreciation account. Adding ¼ of a cent would allow the vehicles to be replaced on the updated schedule, a new vehicle every 2 years. No recommendation was suggested.
• Discussed costs related to phone and internet at the Public Safety Building and how they may have changed since moving from town hall to the new building. This will be discussed at the budget meeting.

 

Discussed the recent article in the news regarding the investigation in Rutland City related to the death of one of their officers.

 

The committee entered executive session to discuss a personnel matter at 1:57PM. Upon leaving executive session at 2:42PM, with no action taken, the meeting adjourned at 2:42 PM.

 

Respectfully submitted, Bill Sweet