WILTON — Selectmen on Tuesday unanimously appointed a police committee Tuesday to gather information to understand what the police do.

Appointed were volunteers Keith Shoaps, Sherrill Brann, Steve Harris, Bill Groder, Richard Lumb, James Black, Tiffany Miauri, Richard Bragg, Allen Kaplan, Julie Henderson and Paula Widmer, with Selectman Tom Saviello leading the committee. It is expected they will start their work in September.

Saviello suggested a committee form following questions at town meeting over the $404,750 police budget voters approved. Those questions couldn’t be answered during the time allotted for the meeting, he suggested.

On Tuesday, Saviello told the board his intention for the committee is only “information gathering” and involves understanding what the police do.

Selectman Russell Black questioned the need to only find out what the police are doing.

“Doesn’t that come under Rhonda (the town manager) and the police chief’s jurisdiction?” he asked. He said the department has been an ongoing issue over the eight years he’s been on the board.

Questions such as why the town can’t keep officers or a police chief and whether the department needs to be five or six officers can’t be answered without knowing what they do, Saviello said.

“People think I’m going after the police force. … I’m not,” he said.

He said he intends to only gather the information and release it to the community. Someone else can go further with it, he said, offering to not lead the committee if the board wanted more.

When the question of whether the town manager and chief were responsible for the department’s work and job descriptions came up again, Saviello responded that the current chief, Page Reynolds, “didn’t feel support from us. I don’t want that to happen with the next chief.”

Whether the town needs a five- or six-person department depends on knowing what the officers do over a 24/7 period, he said. If it takes six officers to do the work then it’s time to stop whining, he suggested.

Selectman Paul Gooch said he supports the department 110 percent and feels it’s valuable to the community, but attempts to reduce and eliminate the budget have continued over the 30 years he’s lived in Wilton.

“Every time it passes,” he said, suggesting the community does support the department.

Town Manager Rhonda Irish said Wednesday that the department’s morale is much better than previously reported to the board and the current officers are not seeking other positions.

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