TIVERTON — Five new Tiverton police officers were sworn in before Memorial Day weekend as they prepared to begin the final field training phase of the probationary period of their employment with the department.
After their hire in January, they began formal training at the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy, and upon completion of the academy's 26-week program on May 26, were certified and sworn in, so that they could begin their on-duty field training, which normally takes about 12 weeks.
"During this training period, new officers are accompanied and evaluated by certified field training officers," Tiverton Police Chief Thomas Blakey said in a recent memo to the town council. "This period is crucial, as the new officers' performances are required to meet certain certain levels and show a marked improvement in all aspects of their work each week while they conduct actual policing duties."
"We have a reputation for being one of the best departments in the state for hiring and training," Chief Blakey told the Town Council at its May 22 meeting. "Unfortunately, we also have a negative reputation for losing many of those same officers to other jurisdictions."
"We're the second lowest paid department in the state," he added.

Future for recruits uncertain
The five new trainees are not assured of getting a job in the Tiverton Police Department, once the their probationary period is completed, however. Budget problems are interceding.
"Your salary line in the new budget doesn't cover the five new officers, nor the uniforms, and so forth," Councilor Patricia Hilton told Chief Blakey at the meeting. "I can't imagine where the funds are coming from."
Chief Blakey told the council the department lost at least $57,000 (a higher figure was also mentioned) from its budget that was transferred to pay for trash pick-up.
"Hold onto your pocketbooks," Chief Blakey said at one point, alluding to the impact of retirement, or the non-hiring of recruits, on the payment of overtime.
The newly negotiated contract calls for certain staffing levels, which if not met will require officers called in to duty to be paid overtime.
The new contract with the union that represents police officers goes into effect on July 1, the beginning of the next fiscal year. That's often a time when officers choose to retire, to capture the benefits that accrue.
"Currently the department has two vacancies," Chief Blakey wrote to the council in his memo, but, "I believe additional vacancies are a distinct possibility in the near future. Currently there are six veteran officers who are eligible to retire, four of whom have informed me they are looking for future employment at this time."
The retirement or departure of these officers is not certain, however so it is unclear just how many vacancies will actually happen.
"There's no contractual requirement, that an officer who goes through training, has to stay for a particular period of time," said own Solicitor Anthony DeSisto.
Further, Mr. DeSisto advised the council at its meeting, "there is no commitment by the town to hire these five officers after field training."
"In the end," Mr. DeSisto said, "the officers do not have a true employment with the town until approved by the town council; that's in the charter."
All of this council discussion took place with the uniformed recruits sitting against a wall in council chambers.
"It would be hell to pay in recruiting for the future," Chief Blakey told the council, "because no one is going to come here and then be laid off."
"I will tell you now," the chief said, "I will be retiring." He did not say when, exactly.