Waterford — The Board of Selectmen began its series of departmental budget hearings Tuesday, tentatively approving a $5.8 million police budget and a $1.3 million emergency management budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year without changes.  

The preliminary budgets still will require final approval from the board and two other town bodies.

The proposed police budget, the department’s first under Chief Brett Mahoney, would represent an increase of $331,738, or 6 percent, over the budget approved last year.

Most of that increase comes from expected salary and overtime additions following union negotiations, which are currently underway, Mahoney said.

Other increases came from new training responsibilities that are no longer funded by the state and replacements for decades-old furniture in the station, he said.

The proposed emergency services budget is $131,320, or 10 percent, more than the approved budget for the 2015-16 fiscal year.

Most of those increases account for a maintenance contract for the department’s new dispatch console, which is still under negotiation, First Selectman Daniel Steward said.

The emergency services budget proposal also went up to cover the union-negotiated contracts for dispatcher training and education.

The Board of Selectmen approved both budgets without changes, along with budget proposals for the registrar of voters, library, Representative Town Meeting, Town Clerk, the Board of Finance and contingency funds.

It will continue to hold budget hearings this month and make its final recommendations to the Board of Finance next month.

m.shanahan@theday.com

Twitter: @martha_shan