“The issue of necessary personnel to accomplish our public safety needs will be addressed by the increase and funding request approval. This approach will help the City of Chicopee maintain the appropriate complement to allow for additional patrols, walking beats, bicycle patrols and increased efforts for community policing,” said Mayor Kos.

Said Police Chief William Jebb “I would to thank the Mayor Kos and the City Council for their ongoing and continued support of Chicopee’s public safety needs. The demands of the Police Force have increased tremendously over the years, but unfortunately our compliment had remained the same. By increasing the complement once again, we are able to offer true community policing efforts. These efforts will include Community involvement as well consistent bike patrols and walking beats, that for years had inconsistent staffing and inactivity. Technology development and its demands drew officers off the street thus creating “out of compliment” positions. We also have School resource officers, injured on duty, and operational staff that are unavailable for shift assignments. We will be backfilling those positions should this request be approved. By adding these additional staff members this will allow us to take a proactive approach and embrace true community policing.”

The funding will come from an account which was proposed during the budget process and approved by the City Council which set aside $500,000 for additional public safety needs including personnel, overtime, equipment and public safety needs that may be requested.

This is the second increase to the complement of police officers under the Kos administration as previously the force had been increased from 106 to 111 with the approval of the City Council. A new civil service list has been recently released and interviews will be scheduled in the upcoming weeks.