PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayor Linda Tyer is calling for an increase of nearly $1 million to boost staffing in the Police Department.

 

The mayor was joined by an array of elected officials, community leaders, and law enforcement Monday in a press conference addressing increased gun violence in the city.

 

Tyer said the fiscal 2017 budget calls for a $936,000 increase for the Police Department to bring on a half dozen new officers and new equipment.

 

"For far too long the plea of our police chief to increase personnel has been ignored. A city of our size should have 120 sworn officers and we are currently operating with 82 and will approach an all-time low this summer due to transfers and retirements," Tyer said.

 

"Not one more day will this plea for help in personnel go disregarded."

 

The city is approved to have a force of 91 officers but with vacancies and injuries, there are currently 82 employed. By mid-summer, because of transfers and retirements, that number is expected to drop into the 70s. At the same time, Chief Michael Wynn says there is a growing issue of gang and gun incidents.

 

"As of this morning we had 30 reported gun incidents this calendar year. That was our total for all of last year," Wynn said.

 

Tyer said there are 11 officers at the police academy, which will help replenish those who will be leaving by then — keeping staffing levels stable. She said she's requested another list of 12 potential candidates, who will go through background checks before being sent to the academy. But only six will be added to the force.

 

"We will expect to see the police officers on the streets and available to us in the fall," Tyer said. 

 

The additional staff is eyed to be used in the creation of "specialized units" such as a traffic, anti-crime, youth services, K9, and downtown patrol that are now part time or special assignments.

 

Wynn hopes to have a full anti-crime unit and is determining the quickest and most effective units to form first with the additional staffing. Tyer said she'd be bolstering the force in each of the following three budgets as well.

 

"We have also attempted to recruit veteran officers from communities nearby but we are stymied by our too low compensation," Tyer said. 

 

In the meantime, Wynn said he's authorized command staff to redeploy and ask for additional resources based on intelligence. 

 

"We already redeployed. What we are trying to not do is replicate some past mistakes. We are empowering shift commanders to reallocate the existing resources as they see fit and to request additional resources based on information we get," Wynn said.

 

Last year, the city deployed a short-term "no-tolerance policy" — basically additional patrols — in the West Side neighborhoods where a shooting occurred on the 4th of July. Wynn, however, said those type of "directed patrols" often cost more than it's worth in arrests. Instead, this year's additional deployments will be based on information.

 

One example Tyer gave of such a response is a recent basketball tournament in a city park. The department caught wind that the unsanctioned tournament involved known gang associations and there was a threat of violence. Officers both in plainclothes and uniforms ensured a presence in the area during the tournament and departments outside of the city were on standby to provide mutual aid.

 

"Behind the scenes, much work went into making sure nothing happened," Tyer said.

 

Tyer said those additional deployments will be done within the operating budget and promised that it will make it "very uncomfortable" for those involved in criminal activity. 

 

The timing of the press conference coincides with a number of recent incidents, including last week's shooting on Wahconah Street. Over the weekend, yet another shooting incident occurred on Circular Avenue that damaged a home.

"I have had enough. I will not allow the city of Pittsfield to be overrun by this or any other criminal element," Tyer said.

"To all that threaten our city, I am not going to stand down while you terrorize our neighborhoods."

Other than supporting the Police Department, Tyer said fighting crime requires civic engagement. From simple reporting suspicious activity to police — "see something, say something" — to getting involved with community programs.

 

She said the Pittsfield Community Connection needs more mentors for targeted "at-risk" youth in the city. Businesses are asked to support the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative, in which a state grant will provide some funding toward wages to put individuals who are "proven risks" to work. Both of those programs also include matching those in the programs with social services and mental health and substance abuse treatment. 

 

The citizen-led Man Up initiative helps provide youth with role models to help guide them and the Marilyn Hamilton Literacy and Sports Program at Durant Park that keeps youth active while improving literacy.

 

Tyer said the response requires such a multi-faceted approach and collaborations