By Scott Taylor,Staff Writer

AUBURN – Police will park their cruisers for 10 minutes every hour to cut down on fuel costs this year.

The goal is to cut fuel use 8 percent in the next year, according to police Chief Richard Small. He estimated savings of about $4,842.

The plan could have side benefits, giving officers more time to do speed and red light enforcement.

“Plus, it will mean officers will spend more time in their assigned beat area, and that will reduce response times,” he said.

Small and his staff presented his take on the department’s 2006-07 budget. It calls for a $148,000 increase in spending, to $2.7 million for the year. That’s an increase of 5.7 percent.

Much of it comes from salaries, which increase $126,226 next year, to $2,153,411. Salaries represent about 78 percent of the department’s budget.

City Manager Pat Finnigan was quick to point out that she has not made her recommendation for the police budget, or any other department’s budget. Finnigan said her goal is present a citywide spending plan with no increase in spending.

“I don’t want people grabbing their heads and saying, Gee, why don’t they listen to us,'” Finnigan said. “We do listen, and this is just the very first step.”

She plans to present her budget in April.

Gasoline for cruisers plays a big part in the police budget increase, Small said. His officers are on track to use 928 fewer gallons this year compared to a year ago. Higher fuel costs mean the department still spent about $13,000 more, however. The department expects to spend $57,708 on gasoline this year, he said.

Keeping officers will be another way to save money, according to Deputy Chief Phil Crowell. The department lost six officers last year, and replacing them is expensive.

The city spends about $41,032 to train new each new officer. That includes tuition costs to the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, 12 weeks of field training in Auburn as well as salary, uniform and other costs.

He recommended the department work with the police unions to find out why those officers left.

“We think they might be more willing to talk to their union,” Crowell said. Some officers moved to other police departments in Maine, two moved out of state and at least one left police work all together, he said.

The department is also working on a wage survey to see how the department compares with others in Maine.

“There’s really no other way to make sure we’re doing all we can to keep our officers,” Crowell said.