Newport Selectboard Approves Grant for Intelligence Officer

The Newport Selectboard voted Monday night to accept and expend $30,000 dollars in grant money to hire an intelligence liaison officer to work within the town’s police department.

The grant was issued by the New Hampshire Department of Safety as part of its Intelligence Liaison Officer Program. The nationwide program uses liaison officers located in all 50 states to facilitate the flow of information from local to federal agencies.

The Granite State has several liaison officers located in different geographical regions, with the Newport officer to cover the Western portion of the state.

Grant money will be used to cover the salary and benefits of the person hired, who will work 24 hours a week gathering intelligence to return to Concord.

The position will run through August on a trial basis, but could be renewed after the fact if funding is continued. The town itself will not be responsible to cover any expense.