Towns Could Be on Hook for Resident Trooper Costs

Towns across Connecticut received mainly good news from Gov. Dannel Malloy's biennial budget, which included flat funding for municipalities.

However, included in about $600 million in cuts is a change in the cost-sharing for resident state troopers, which contribute to law enforcement in about 40 towns.

"We actually hoped this year the state would take back some of the costs, but they went the other way," said Brooklyn First Selectman Rick Ives.

Brooklyn received its first resident trooper in 1993 at a cost of about $30,000 per year. Ten years ago, the town got its second trooper, leading to increased costs but increased coverage as well. In 2016, the cost of two troopers will be about $325,000, according to the governor's budget.

The state covered 30 percent of the cost in recent years, while 70 percent is covered by the town. Ives said that losing a trooper could mean a gap during certain parts of the day.

"It’s really been good to have 12 hour of the day or at some points, 18 hours of the day covered," Ives said.

State Sen. Beth Bye, who chairs the Appropriations Committee in the Connecticut General Assembly, said she and others will examine all of the governor's proposals carefully.

“In these tough times, we’ve got to spend our dollars smartly and we need to make sure we’re funding things fairly," said Bye, a Democrat who represents West Hartford.

Ives said starting a police department in Brooklyn wouldn't be feasible given current budget conditions. He added that troopers themselves are more than just law enforcement, they're members of the community who contribute in myriad ways.

"They help out at events. They really become a part of the community and that’s really what this neighborhood policing is about," he said.