Hennessey Police Chief Ed Cangiano said officers responded to 1,800 calls last year.

He made that comment Feb. 5 during a special town board planning meeting to discuss each department’s future needs.

That’s also when Cangiano’s resignation was announced, due to family matters, and that Sgt. Aaron Pitts would be acting chief effective Friday, Feb. 24, which was Cangiano’s last day.

Cangiano told the board that continuous officer training is essential and continuing the D.A.R.E. program is also important. He said Pitts has worked with the school on D.A.R.E. and later asked Pitts to read off the department’s 1-15 year list of needs.

Staff/fleet numbers The outgoing chief said there are five full-time officers on staff, plus one K-9 officer, and eight reserve officers. (Note: the town board voted in December to include officers on the state pension and retirement system.)

He said a patrol vehicle averages from 10-20,000 miles a year and the department has seven vehicles. That includes a Ford Hybrid purchased in late 2020.

Cangiano said there are pros and cons with the hybrid: it gets 21-22 mpg, but it doesn’t like the cold weather.

Cangiano said they need to keep vehicles running during cold weather so they don’t have to worry about whether a car will start in an emergency.

That’s also another reason why his department’s gasoline expenses have been up, he said.

The department’s oldest vehicle is a 2015 and has about 80,000 miles on it, he said.

1-5 Year Plans

• Update police facility: new signage on front of building (because people have trouble finding it); outside lighting, barricade protection for building, awning over front door, mark parking spacing and make interior renovation. Audience members suggested a handicap ramp into the station, and the HPD sign be lighted. Officers said the facility is also used by divorced parents who drop off and pick up their children at the facility. Expired and unwanted pills may also be discarded in a box inside the station.

• Increase staffing: Add deputy chief (Cangiano started as the deputy, but when he was named chief that position was not filled); one more officer; an animal control officer (currently one of the public works employees helps).

• Build a new animal shelter.

• Purchase new vehicles: patrol vehicle, one per year; utility vehicle for parades and festivals (Gator vehicle); animal control truck with shelter box.

• Digital ticket writing system: Cangiano said it would save time and a lot of paperwork. Estimated cost $16,000 plus $2,000 each year.

• New computer: in booking area. Cangiano said they currently have to use the same computer for booking in prisoners on the same one used in the property room.

• Outside storage area: If they retrieve or confiscate a go-cart, or bikes, or other larger items there isn’t a secure outside storage area, Cangiano said. He suggested a metal storage container and said when someone turned in a bike, they had no room inside, so they parked it out front and it disappeared.

• Provide iPads for each patrol vehicle: They now have three and switch them out on shift changes, Cangiano said.

• Purchase shotguns for patrol vehicles: Currently have seven and four are old surplus shotguns, the board was told.

• New firing range: “Right now we’re using Scottie’s (Hajek),” the chief said.

• Continue training.

6-10 Year Plans

• New police facility: The chief said they’d gotten the roof repaired so it doesn’t leak anymore, but they’ve outgrown the facility and need room for two officers to take/write reports and for interviews; “and if you build a new facility (jail) then you’ll need a sally port (controlled entry) and natural lighting in the cells. That’s standard for a new jail.” (Note: It took about five years to get the current PD/jail remodeled and get it state-certified in July 2019 to hold prisoners for 10 days. After the 10 days a prisoner would be taken to the county jail.)

• Replace officer sidearms: (Note: the board approved purchase of five Glock 34 Gen 5 guns in October 2020.) Cangiano said back then that “Every officer carries their own gun and I don’t care for that.” He said they were having to buy all different sizes of ammo and it would be cheaper to buy one size” and “if an officer wanted to carry their own gun they’d have to pay for their own ammo.” He also said back in 2020 they needed to look at buying new shotguns.

• Replace TASER weapons: They are now three years old.

• Purchase new vehicles: One per year.

• Replace bulletproof vests: They expire after five years.

• Replace all computers in station.

• Purchase new rifles.

• Replace iPads in vehicles.

11-15 Year Plans

• Maintain upkeep/replacement of equipment: Bulletproof vests; TASER weapons.

• New patrol vehicles: One per year.

• Hire more officers depending on population growth.