Sandisfield Select Board Eyes Second Full-Time Officer to Cover Evening Shifts

SANDISFIELD — December 8, 2025 — Sandisfield Select Board reviews police department status and a proposed 30 percent budget increase to hire a second full-time officer. At a December 8 work session, Police Chief Faye told the board the department handles roughly 1,200 calls a year but currently relies on a single full-time day officer, one part-timer working about 12 hours a week, and Faye himself for roughly eight hours of administrative work weekly, leaving evenings and weekends dependent on the Massachusetts State Police. The proposed budget would rise from $152,000 to $196,000, with most of the increase covering a new four-days-on, two-days-off evening officer; Faye said he trimmed several line items, including cutting the part-time salary budget from $53,000 to $46,000, to partially offset the cost. A detail-work policy enacted earlier this year has already returned about $9,000 in fees to the town through October. The board agreed to schedule a joint session with police and fire leadership and to analyze call volume by shift before making final staffing and budget decisions.