BRADFORD, Vt. — The Selectboard is asking voters to consider a proposal to expand the town’s police force by two additional full-time officers, making it a department of four, at Town Meeting later this month.
The cost to do so is estimated to be $250,000 for the 2026 fiscal year, accounting for salary, medical insurance, equipment and potentially a third police cruiser. That would double the annual sum allocated for the police department in the town’s budget, according to Bradford Police Chief Russell Robinson.
“There’s just two of us here,” Robinson said of himself and the other member of the department, Sgt. David Shaffer. “We’d always try and work around each other to give (the town) more coverage, not overlapping as much. But we just can’t do that anymore. It’s not safe for one guy to be out there by himself.”
In 2025, Bradford Police and Vermont State Police responded to over 1,500 calls for service in Bradford, including drug investigations, suspicious circumstances, domestic situations, assaults, unlawful mischief, mental health, property checks, alarms, DUIs and court ordered documents to be served.
Robinson was unable to say how last year’s call volume compared to prior years “off the top of (his) head.” However, calls have been increasing and so have the nature of them, he said, citing “a lot of drug calls” while not specifically saying how many.
Drug investigations, Robinson explained, typically involve paraphernalia, guns and other weapons and individuals acting under the influence of drugs which can lead to added investigations including assaults, attempted murder and murder.
Last week, Bradford Police arrested a suspect wanted in connection with two burglaries involving 20 firearms and hundreds of dollars worth of coins, the Valley News reported.
“In today’s world, if you stop a car and it’s got guns and drugs in it, generally, there’s more than one person in the vehicle and one officer can’t handle that,” he said. “You need extra sets of hands and eyes.”
Before shifting to a two-person police department around 20 years ago, Bradford police was run by a constable who was “part-time and couldn’t handle complaints (such as) domestics, deaths, major felonies,” Robinson said.
About 10 years ago, the Bradford outpost of the Vermont State Police at 1549 Waits River Road scaled back operations from full-time to part-time use, he said. Now, the nearest source of support is the state police barracks in St. Johnsbury which is about 30 miles away.
The leadership of the Bradford outpost merged into the St. Johnsbury barracks in 2016, the Valley News reported at the time.
“We assist state police and state police assist us,” Robinson said. “But if they’re in Sheffield (about 50 miles north) or somewhere and I have to go to the local motel for an out of control subject and I need back up, it could be an hour.”
Robinson, who became Bradford police chief in 2019, and Shaffer, who joined the Bradford police in 2021, cover a combined 80 hours of service a week. State police provide town coverage the rest of the time, he said.
“I told the Selectboard when I proposed this, ‘Let the voters decide,’ ” he said. “I understand people are struggling.”
Robinson, a Newbury, Vt., resident, added: “I pay taxes. I’m in the same boat. But if you want coverage and you want public safety, you’re going to have to pay for it.”
At this point, Bradford Selectboard Chairwoman Meroa “Peep” Benjamin said, “we don’t know” how much of a tax increase would support the proposed police expenditure.
“The proposal for two new officers came directly from the police department to the Selectboard to consider in our budget preparation,” Benjamin said, acknowledging the increasing volume of service calls over the last year.
“I mean we need back up and we call state police and they’re short-staffed too,” Benjamin said.
In an email to the Valley News last Thursday, state police spokesperson Adam Silverman said “law enforcement staffing is a challenge nationwide, and Vermont is not immune. VSP currently has a vacancy rate of about 13% of our sworn personnel, with an authorized strength of 322.”
In a similar effort to expand public safety, the Town of Norwich is asking voters whether they support an allocation of nearly $100,000 for the purchase of multiple pieces of equipment to bolster its four-officer police force.
“If I had a magic wand I would hire six officers because I think that would be an asset to our community,” Benjamin said. “But I don’t think our taxpayers can begin to afford it.”
Alternatives to better provide coverage in the town, which has a population of about 3,000 people, are being explored by the Selectboard, she said.
“One alternative might be to contract with the (Orange County) Sheriff’s Department,” she said. “It also might be to hire a part-time officer.”
Orange County Sheriff George Contois was not available for comment by deadline on Monday.
While Benjamin said she hasn’t looked at the numbers comparing the costs of the aforementioned alternatives and the proposed $250,000 expansion of the police force by two full-time officers, she realizes the recurring costs of bringing on new full-time employees.
“That’s a long-term effect on your budget and once you start factoring in, in addition to salaries, your benefits, your insurance, your equipment, vehicle costs, it’s a long-term commitment,” she said. “Whereas, if you contract with somebody, you’re paying an X amount of dollars flat.”
Robinson, who has been in law enforcement for 41 years, said the proposed expansion isn’t for him.
“I haven’t picked a day yet, but I’m getting closer to my retirement,” he said. “If voters decide, ‘We don’t want to hire two new people,’ then I can at least feel good the day I do decide to retire that, ‘Hey, I tried.’ ”
Bradford’s Town Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 28 at 9 a.m. in the Bradford Academy Auditorium. Residents can decide on the police expansion article by floor vote.