WILTON – Determined to find savings in the town’s proposed budget, selectmen voted 3-2 to recommend reducing the Police Department budget by not funding the vacant lieutenant’s position for the coming year.

After an initial review of the budget two weeks ago, the board asked Town Manager Rhonda Irish to come back with a suggested budget reflecting a 5 percent reduction from the initially proposed $2.9 million budget.

An anticipated loss of revenue from excise taxes, state revenue sharing and interest income led selectmen to seek less spending. Expected revenue is $1.2 million, leaving nearly $1.5 million for the town to raise.

Although Irish and police Chief Dennis Brown filed a police budget of $381,748, Selectman Russell Black moved that the board recommend $373,503 with the intent of not filling the slot vacated when Lt. Richard Caton resigned last month.

Not all favored the move.

“In the last two years, the Police Department has come a long way. The hiring of Brown and the changes he’s made . . . it’s now a responsive, respectable police force. To tinker with it now is a mistake,” Selectman Irv Faunce said. “We cannot slide backward in our Police Department.”

Although agreeing the department is doing a good job, Selectman Terry Brann said, “We need to tighten our belts.”

“What if it’s the wrong choice? It’s a gamble,” Faunce replied.

Black urged the board to recommend trying it.

The amount to be saved is about $8,200 since overtime or other means are used to cover work done by the lieutenant, Brown said. The lieutenant covers vacations, sick days, night hours, court and does investigations and patrols.

“Times are tough, but when people call for help at night, they get help,” Brown said.

The lieutenant’s salary, about $50,000, should be saved, Brann said.

The hours still have to be covered and that will cost, Faunce said.

Now that selectmen have made their recommendations, the budget goes to the Finance Board. It will meet at 6 p.m. Monday at the town office and will make recommendations before the budget goes to voters at the June 15 town meeting.