WILTON — The Wilton-Jay Police Collaboration Committee will explore the pros and cons of forming one police department at its next meeting at 6 p.m. on July 21 at the Jay Town Office at 340 Main St.

The 12-member panel, which includes two residents from each town, is exploring options. Members will take one option per meeting that includes working in collaboration between the two departments, exploring going with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office or staying as two individual departments.

Paul Ferland, police chief of the Monmouth and Winthrop police departments, gave a presentation Monday on what he has been doing to try to combine the two departments.

No decisions have been made by officials in either town. The cost for the chief is based on population, which is 60% for Winthrop and 40% for Monmouth. Winthrop has a population of about 6,700 people and Monmouth about 4,100. It will be a four-year process that started in 2024. He doesn’t anticipate it to be complete, if it is approved, until 2027, Ferland said.

Winthrop paid its officers about $2 or $3 per hour above what Monmouth paid its force, he said. Monmouth had the better insurance and retirement plans. He has worked to try and get them to be more compatible.

“I really think that this is an opportunity for the communities to work smarter and more efficiently,” he said, and not to overwork officers.

It is difficult for small police departments to survive, he said. Once someone gets trained, they leave for another department that pays more. Trying to find someone to replace an officer is not an easy job, Ferland said.

Another issue is if an officer wants two weeks off, which makes longer hours for him. He said he won’t deny them the vacation.

“The last thing you want to do is burn your officers out,” Ferland said.

There is no idea that is wrong as long it works for the communities, he said.

He told the Wilton-Jay committee members to make sure they keep the collaboration process transparent so residents know what is going on.

He wrote an open letter to both communities and asked for feedback.

“I think I got 15 to 20 emails, most of them positive and one negative,” he said. The negative one was about someone hoping they don’t change the stripes on the cruisers, he said.

While Monmouth is down an officer,  Winthrop is providing some help with coverage. The towns have mutual aid agreements, which allow them to offer backup to each department.

Monmouth police Lt. Dana Wessling was seriously injured Jan. 6 in Turner after his cruiser was struck by a vehicle driven by a person who faces several charges, including driving while intoxicated.

Ferland said each department gives an officer a cruiser to take home to reduce the likelihood of officers responding in a personal vehicle if an emergency occurs. The officers take pride in their cruisers and it has meant a seven- to 10-year rotation to replace the cars.

“I think no matter what happens, just opening the door and exploring it is worthwhile,” he said.

The Wilton-Jay committee reviewed information provided by the chiefs and town managers. The budgets for both departments are about $1 million each. They have similar assets. They have similar numbers of calls, except for Jay having more traffic stops, which Chief Joseph Sage credits to having a young department.

Sage and Wilton Chief Ethan Kyes said they don’t care who runs the department as long it meets the needs of residents in both towns. Jay’s population, according to the 2020 United States census, is 4,620 and Wilton’s is 3,835. The estimated census for 2025 shows Jay’s population ay 4,654 and Wilton’s at 3,884.