5 New Cops Could Be Coming to Riverhead

Five new police officers could be coming to Riverhead Town.

Riverhead Police Chief David Hegermiller came before the town board Wednesday to discuss a federally funded grant from the Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS, program.

The three year grant would allow for the town to apply for funding for new officers and pay only 25 percent of the costs involved.

Benefits would be included, up to $125,000 per officer.

Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter commended Hegermiller for getting police overtime costs down from $900,000 to $600,000, even after Superstorm Sandy.

"The problem is we're running a lot of police presence on Main Street," Walter said, adding that $105,000 was put into the police budget to cover those costs. Hiring additional officers with a federal grant, he said, would "give us a little relief."

Hegermiller said that should the town be awarded the grant and up their number of officers, that number would need to be maintained for the three-year period.

Councilman Jim Wooten said it would be a good idea to anticipate who might be retiring in five years, so the town hired that number with the grant funding.

"Any increase in officers is a reduction on overtime so we save money," Hegermiller said.

Walter said he believed the town should "take advantage of this" and apply for the funding. He said he'd like to see the force increased from 85 officers to 90 but wasn't sure about adding five.

"Let's look at the structure of the police department," Wooten said. "I don't think five is out of the realm."

The police department has five squads, so five extra officers would mean one for each squad, Hegermiller said.

Wooten reminded the town is not guaranteed the grant funding.

Councilman John Dunleavy suggested the town apply for the maximum number of officers to start, with the idea that the number could be reduced down the line.

Walter asked if the additional officers would cut the police department's overtime budget by $200,000.

"At least," Hegermiller said.

The town board agreed to apply for a grant that would allow for five new officers.

Do you think hiring new police officers is a good idea? How many do you think are needed?