2014 Annual Report

"It is the mission of the Newport Police Department to provide professional, high quality and effective police service in partnership with the community.  We, the members of the Newport Police Department, believe that our work has a vital impact on the quality of life in our community".

The Mission Statement and Values are the foundation of the department and is the basis by which our policy and procedure manual is founded.  I take great pride in serving our community and providing our residents and guests with the high quality of life, safety and security that we have come to expect.  All of this becomes possible through the support of our residents and the hard work of our very dedicated and talented staff here at the Police Department.  Throughout each year, members of this agency go above and beyond what is expected of them and personal sacrifices are made.  For their sacrifices, I would like to thank every member of the department and their families.  It’s only through their hard work and dedication to our community that we are able to ensure that the department mission and values remains a reality for us all.

In many ways, 2014 was a busy year for the Department.  We have seen a few changes in personnel.  Corporal Charles McLeman IV was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.  Sgt. McLeman joins Sgt. Zullo as one of the two day-to-day shift supervisors.  Congratulations Charlie!  In April, Officer Richard Almeida left the department to further his career in his hometown of Charlestown.  Officer Almeida joined the Charlestown Police Department as a Sergeant.  We wish Richard well as he assumes his new role and rank.  With the departure of Officer Almeida we were soon fortunate to announce the hiring of Officer Dakota Titorenko-Geary.  Dakota, a resident of Newport and former buildings and grounds employee for the Town, joined the Police Department as a certified officer from the Town of Grantham.  Welcome aboard Dakota!  Last year I announced the hiring of Clayton Couitt and James Ethan Yazinski.  Since that time, Officer Couitt graduated from the 164th New Hampshire Police Academy and Officer Yazinski graduated from the 165th Academy.  Congratulations to both Clayton and Ethan on obtaining their full-time certifications!  In future years, the time and costs associated with obtaining an officer’s full-time certification will be increasing.  The current 14 week residential New Hampshire Police Academy certification program will be increasing to a total of 16 weeks of required training.

In 2013 I reported that the Newport Police Department processed 16,753 calls for service.  In 2014 that number rose to 18,189, which is nearly an 8.6% increase over the previous year.  We are able to maintain our high level of services due in large part to the technology changes the department has undergone over the preceding years.  Those changes and technology upgrades allow the department to operate at peak efficiency and absorb the increases.  Last year I also reported that the department remains understaffed and has done so since the 2008-2009 budget.  In that operating budget a patrol position went unfunded and has been unfunded ever since.  The last budget year where the department had a full complement of officers was in 2007-2008.  In that year the fully staffed Police Department budget was $1,298,923 dollars.  Seven budgets later, in 2014, the total expenditure for the Police Department was $1,257,799.  That’s a decrease of $41,124 from the budget of seven years ago.  As a point of reference, the department handled 13,697 calls in 2008.  So, operationally, since 2008 we have improved our technology systems to keep up with the call for service demands while at the same time decreasing our overall budget.  It is important to note that during this same time we funded union contracts and we have even managed to establish a $5,000 dollar communications capital reserve fund.  With all the budgetary and staffing decreases, our call volume since 2008 has increased by 32.5% or 4,492 calls per year.  I believe we have reached a tipping point where the department cannot sustain additional budgetary decreases and continue to provide the same level of services.  The time has come where the need exists to fund the position that has gone unfunded since 2009 and to bring back some of the programs that were successful for the town.  Those include, but are not limited to the Mountain Bike Patrols, and the Police Cadet Program.

Approved by voters, last year was the replacement of the Newport Emergency Communications antenna system.  The antennas that were replaced were far beyond their service life, with some being as many as 20 years beyond, and were in desperate need of replacing.  That work was completed in early July and as a result our radio coverage area and quality of our radio transmissions have improved considerably.  The antennas are but one part of the system and the remainder of the communication system continues to age with some equipment nearing its effective service life.  To prepare for the future, we have established a very modest capital reserve and are saving $5,000 dollars per year towards inevitable costs associated with future equipment replacement.  With changes in technology and projected service lives for the equipment currently in operation, it is difficult to anticipate future costs.  Many vital pieces of the communication system range in cost from as low as a few thousand dollars to as much as tens of thousands of dollars.  For that reason it is vital that we continue the capital reserve savings program currently in place.

Each year the department seeks grant funding for equipment, personnel costs and specialty patrols.  In 2014 the Newport Police Department received just over $42,555 dollars in grant funding.  Counting the grants and all other revenue sources, the department took in just over $119,000 dollars in 2014.  Currently, those funds are deposited into the Town’s general fund.  Many of the grants we receive are used to fund safety initiatives.  One such initiative the department continues to be committed to is the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force, which we are a contributing agency.  There has been a consistent need to address the criminal activity associated with the sale and use of illicit drugs in our community.  In addition to our commitment to the investigation of criminal activity, we are committed to several statewide safety initiatives.  This year we sought and received a grant to address firearms safety with our elementary school aged children through the NRA’s Eddie Eagle program.  This program was brought to our youth through the efforts of the Department’s School Resource Officer and educates our youth on what to do if they encounter a firearm.  That message is to: “Stop, Don't Touch, and Tell An Adult.”  In addition to our many school and business related educational initiatives, we continue to participate in several New Hampshire Highway Safety grant programs that deal with motor vehicle safety.  Those include operation Safe Commute, Driving While Intoxicated patrols and Speed Patrols.

As you look in this year’s annual report, you will notice an accounting procedure change for each department.  In years past, each individual departmental budget did not include FICA, Long Term Disability Insurance, Pension, Health/Dental Insurance and Workers Compensation Insurance.  Those costs were calculated for the entire town and accounted for under the General Government section of the town’s budget.  Starting this year, those costs will be broken down and calculated into each individual department budget.

As I conclude my report, I want to take this time thank Town Manager Paul Brown.  Since being promoted to Chief I have learned many valuable lessons from him pertaining to budgeting and management.  As he moves from his position as Manager, I ask that you join me in thanking him for his continued service and dedication to the Town of Newport.  We look forward to many more successful years with him.  I also want to thank the community and the many talented and dedicated men and women of the Newport Police Department for making this another successful and safe year in Newport.  Our “Sunshine Town” is truly a special place to call home.  Even as we reflect back on 2014 we look forward to making 2015 even better!

Respectfully submitted,

James C. Burroughs
Chief of Police