Police department to be fully staffed by end of year

BELCHERTOWN – The Selectboard heard from Police Chief Kevin Pacunas about how his tenure as chief is going so far at its meeting on Monday.

Pacunas was sworn in on Aug. 29 last year and updated the board after his first seven months on the job.

One of the major challenges for the department is staffing.

“It seems to be a struggle not just for our department, but for all departments around,” he said. “There is a light at the end of the tunnel, back in October, we promoted two sergeants. We were short four officers due to Chief (Chris) Pronovost leaving and people resigning.”

The officers have been hired, one from Amherst and one from Orange.

He said the “free agent market dried up,” which caused him to look for qualified people. An entrance exam was designed, which was offered to anyone with police experience or not. It was conducted by the same public safety consultants used last year during the police chief search process, PSC.

“Eighteen people passed and they moved on to the physical fitness tests where seven passed,” he said. “We interviewed those seven and narrowed it down to four. Then we narrowed it down to two, who are going to the academy in April.”

These two officers will graduate in September and, after some training, will be ready to go in November.

He said he’s happy about the situation because not only are there now two candidates but “they’re really qualified candidates.”

Selectboard member Peg Louraine asked if the test was created in-house.

“We contacted with PSC, we were familiar with them since they did the police chief search. They knew of another chief that used them and they had good success with using them,” Pacunas said. “They handled the administrative side of it and we gave them the site with all the criteria. They told us the people that passed of the people that took it.”

He added that the department will then be fully staffed for the first time since 2019.

One full-time and one part-time dispatchers were hired, bringing dispatching to full staff.

“We’re in good shape with our staffing on the police side and the dispatch side,” Pacunas said.

He added that the new human resources director was part of the process to hire these new staff members.

Pacunas also told the board about communications efforts in the department, between other departments and citizens.

He said two command staff meetings have been held, and he would like to meet more.

“It gives command staff a chance to have their input about what’s going on with us,” he said. “They’re very productive meetings.”

Pacunas said he has an open-door policy for citizens to talk to him.

He’s also met with the district attorney and an FBI agent for the area.

“We talked about various things, how they can help us, especially with the school threats that were coming in and that kind of thing,” he said.

As far as the department’s budget, he told the board the department will be reapplying for a three-year grant that funds a domestic violence advocate and a domestic violence officer.

The department is currently within its budget but is a little bit high on its overtime. It’s down in its wages, which should stabilize after the department is fully staffed.

Selectboard members praised Pacunas for his work so far as chief.

Selectboard member Ron Aponte said he believed the chief followed through on promises he made when he was hired as chief.

“It not only shows who you are, but also your work ethic and the department in general,” Aponte said. Selectboard Chair Jim Barry said he wasn’t surprised by the update at all.

“There was never a doubt in my mind. You stepped up,” he said. “I’m not on the street that much but what little I am, when people do have the nerve to approach me, they usually say good things.”