WILTON – Selectmen made no decision Tuesday about whether they will hire the Maine Chiefs of Police Association to help them in hiring a new police chief. They will discuss the issue at the next selectmen’s meeting Oct. 5.

Officials met with association President Robert Schwartz for a free consultation about what the association would do for the town and how much it would cost. Schwartz told the board the association would determine the qualifications for the position, place an advertisement for the position, and determine the deadline for applications. They would then set up a board made up of two selectmen, a member of the association, a clergy member, a school administrator, a representative of a community business, and a Wilton citizen.

Oral examinations would then be set up, and three finalists would be selected for a second oral examination. The association would then make an employment offer to one applicant contingent upon a thorough background check, medical examination and professional assessment. The cost to the town would be $1,000.

In other business, selectmen appointed Stephen Smith as a part-time police officer and authorized Town Manager Peter Nielsen to purchase a new police cruiser to replace one that was damaged recently.

Interim Police Chief Ed Leahy said Smith currently works for another department and has his own equipment and pants, which are “close enough” to what Wilton officers wear. Wilton will need to purchase a winter and summer shirt and a jacket for him.

Leahy and Nielsen researched the best way to buy a new cruiser. They recommended that $10,000 come from the Police Department’s capital reserve fund, $5,300 from the insurance reimbursement for the damaged cruiser, $500 from the building insurance account, $500 from the training budget, $1,000 from the vehicle operating and maintenance account, and $1,191 from the legal and contingency fund.

Nielsen said the town will receive $800 to trade in the damaged vehicle, which has more than 90,000 miles on its odometer, at Augusta Ford. He said he is unsure, however, whether the dealer’s one Ford Crown Victoria would still be available. Officials agreed to authorize Nielsen to purchase the vehicle wherever he is able to use the amount of money designated. If he is unable to do so, the issue will be brought back before the board.

Leahy pointed out that taking funds from the department may “delay the inevitable.” He said the police budget is already tight and the department may run out of money before the end of the year, depending on what may come up, such as the salary for a new chief or having to hire more officers.

Leahy said the decision was made to go with a Ford rather than a Chevrolet, even though he’d prefer a Chevrolet, because the equipment the department currently has already fits a Crown Victoria. The department had already planned to replace the cruiser in July of next year. “We’re just speeding up the process a little bit,” Leahy said.