Montville ― The Town Council has set a Sept. 12 public hearing to discuss a plan to establish an independent police department.

The council voted unanimously this week to send the plan to a hearing.

The idea, which has been discussed on and off for decades, resurfaced at a Town Administration, Rules & Procedures meeting on Monday and quickly made its way to the council.

Town Council Chairman Tom McNally said the hearing is the first step in a long process that would also also require approval of an ordinance and implementation. McNally said “if all goes well,” the town would have an independent police department by July of 2023.

In order for that to happen, McNally said the town will need to update polices around the department, as well as hire a chief of police ($120,000), a secretary ($50,000) and four full-time dispatchers ($275,000).

McNally said after removing the $240,000 cost of the resident state trooper and the current part-time dispatchers, the town will see a yearly budget increase of $160,000 “give or take.” He added that recent improvements to the department such as a new fingerprint scanner and camera system will help save money.

While McNally said the council has been working on the the plan for the past four years, Town Councilor Lenny Bunnell Sr. said it’s been more like 40.

“Every time the issue comes up in discussion it’s discouraged,” said Bunnell, a 42-year police veteran and former Montville Police lieutenant. “It’s argued that we don’t need it, that maybe in five years. But the problem is the time clock never started.”

Currently, the town operates under the Resident State Trooper Program and Mayor Ron McDaniel serves as the town's police chief. Lt. David Radford oversees day-to-day of administrative matters and scheduling of personnel, while Resident State Trooper Sergeant Chris Vaillancourt supervises the operational aspects of the department.

Radford believes now is the time to move to an independent force.

“It’s time for us to stand on our own,” he added.

The town built a $6.5 million dollar police station in 2012 that Bunnell said is not being used to its potential, as just 4,000 of the 17,000 square feet is used. Services such as holding cells, evidence rooms, evidence processing rooms and the dispatch center are untouched as the town uses state police facilities.

“I encourage and I demand that anybody in the town of Montville that doubts what I’m saying ask for a tour of the building,” Bunnell said. “They will be shocked.”

Bunnell said the cost of the resident trooper and the redundancy in services makes now the time to go independent. He pointed to East Lyme and Ledyard as examples of success and noted both departments went independent before securing their a new building.

“It works In East Lyme. They benefited. It works in Ledyard. They benefited,” Bunnell said.

The town has previously proposed an independent police department but each time residents rejected it at a referendum.

k.arnold@theday.com