Police Chief Alan R. DeNaro during a previous Haverhill City Council meeting. (WHAV News file photograph.)
Haverhill city councilors so far have received half of what they asked for Tuesday to bolster the Police Department.
Haverhill City Councilor Michael S. McGonagle. (Jay Saulnier photograph for WHAV News.)
Mayor James J. Fiorentini agreed through his spokesperson to purchase a second motorcycle for police. The mayor, however, so far rejects converting a patrolman’s job into a sergeant’s job at an increased annual salary of around $20,000. Councilor Michael S. McGonagle presented the council’s public safety vision.
“Maybe more traffic stops or more evaluations. I would love to see the police department be able to follow our school buses,” he said.
While Fiorentini attended most of the City Council meeting, councilors were unsuccessful in urging him to stay for the police discussion. Instead, the mayor’s Chief of Staff Allison Heartquist said Fiorentini scribbled a note to her agreeing to pay the $22,000 cost of a motorcycle. She called it the season’s “spirit of giving.”
Because the city’s budget year is half over, councilors noted the actual cost this year for the sergeant’s position would be about $10,000. McGonagle said Police Chief Alan R. DeNaro agreed to swap out the patrolman’s job because of the difficulty he is having filling 11 vacant positions.
Council President John A. Michitson remarked the city has the money, noting the council and mayor recently agreed to give taxpayers back about a half million dollars.