Norwich – Police Chief Patrick Daley outlined his $19.2 million 2023-24 budget to the City Council Monday, citing challenges with technology upgrades and dealing with the cramped police station.

The proposed police budget calls for a $873,441 increase over the current budget, with only one new position, a civilian dispatcher. Much of the increase, $586,236, is for salaries and benefits.

But City Manager John Salomone cut police overtime by $15,000 next year and replacement overtime, used to cover for officers on vacation, sick or training, from $1.27 million to $900,000.

Salomone said the police department budget is tricky, because the city budgets for average occurrences but the city could experience extraordinary events requiring more overtime.

“If we have a number of those, it affects our payroll numbers,” Salomone said. “We’re looking pretty good on some of those numbers this year. Salaries, benefits and replacement costs are the major drivers with this department.”

Daley said the department has used federal American Rescue Plan Act grant money to hire new officers, including plans for three incoming officers, but cannot use the grant for replacement overtime.

Mayor Peter Nystrom complimented Daley on the continuing effort to diversify the force, especially with more female staff. Norwich now has 13 female police officers, including two sworn in last week.

Daley said the female locker room has a capacity for only 10 officers. Dispatchers have all been changing in their cars or at home. One female sergeant changes in an office.

“It’s a challenge,” Daley said. “We’re very proud to have these young men and women who want to be officers in Norwich, but it’s a challenge when they get here, and we are not doing what we could to make them feel welcome. It’s not the fault of anyone sitting here. It’s just the fact that we live in a town with limited resources.”

Daley requested $39 million in the capital improvements budget for a new police station, but it was not funded.

The police station’s small emergency dispatch center also was discussed Monday. Daley had requested two new dispatchers, but Salomone budgeted for one, bringing the total to 11. The dispatch center is upgrading to new radio and computer systems.

Daley said the cramped dispatch center limits staffing. The new dispatcher will sit at the desk officer’s spot.

The proposed capital budget includes $319,000 for new police body cameras. Officers started wearing body cameras in 2019, and they were expected to last 10 years. Daley said the city’s body camera and footage storage vendor was bought out by Motorola, which no longer supports those camera models.

Norwich will switch to body cameras with cloud-based storage technology, which is expected to reduce maintenance and storage costs.

The City Council will hold a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Council Chambers at City Hall on Salomone’s proposed overall city and school budget total of $144.2 million.

c.bessette@theday.com