Brimfield chief state-approved
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
By KIM RING
[email protected]
BRIMFIELD - The town's police chief has completed his training at the state's Western Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Center in Agawam and can now make arrests and patrol the streets.
"Residents better mind their Ps and Qs," Charles T. Kuss joked at last night's selectmen's meeting after telling selectmen he had completed the 120 hours of training needed for his certification.
"It was a good time and I learned some stuff," Kuss said.
Kuss, who was appointed on Aug. 4, 2003, has faced several challenges in trying to meet the state's requirements for police chiefs. Under state law, "Each person appointed as a reserve, or intermittent police officer, in a city or town shall, prior to exercising police powers, satisfactorily complete a course of study prescribed by said committee" unless an exemption is granted.
But after applying for a waiver, Kuss was denied and then found it wasn't easy to secure a slot for the training he needed. Kuss tried several times to enroll in the classes he needed but found he was being passed over because applicants from full-time departments are given preferential treatment.
The chief's part-time status was also a basis for denial of his waiver, the state's Municipal Police Training Committee said. Such exemptions can only be issued for full-time police officers.
A retired Boynton Beach, Fla., sergeant, Kuss now of Springfield, was a finalist for police chief jobs in Belchertown and Warren before being offered a part-time post in Brimfield. He said he still hopes to be a full-time chief some day but realizes that he would be put into the same situation of seeking a waiver and, he said, he's happy in Brimfield.
"Brimfield is my home right now," he said. "And I'm happy here."
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
By KIM RING
[email protected]
BRIMFIELD - The town's police chief has completed his training at the state's Western Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Center in Agawam and can now make arrests and patrol the streets.
"Residents better mind their Ps and Qs," Charles T. Kuss joked at last night's selectmen's meeting after telling selectmen he had completed the 120 hours of training needed for his certification.
"It was a good time and I learned some stuff," Kuss said.
Kuss, who was appointed on Aug. 4, 2003, has faced several challenges in trying to meet the state's requirements for police chiefs. Under state law, "Each person appointed as a reserve, or intermittent police officer, in a city or town shall, prior to exercising police powers, satisfactorily complete a course of study prescribed by said committee" unless an exemption is granted.
But after applying for a waiver, Kuss was denied and then found it wasn't easy to secure a slot for the training he needed. Kuss tried several times to enroll in the classes he needed but found he was being passed over because applicants from full-time departments are given preferential treatment.
The chief's part-time status was also a basis for denial of his waiver, the state's Municipal Police Training Committee said. Such exemptions can only be issued for full-time police officers.
A retired Boynton Beach, Fla., sergeant, Kuss now of Springfield, was a finalist for police chief jobs in Belchertown and Warren before being offered a part-time post in Brimfield. He said he still hopes to be a full-time chief some day but realizes that he would be put into the same situation of seeking a waiver and, he said, he's happy in Brimfield.
"Brimfield is my home right now," he said. "And I'm happy here."
