Windsor Locks Police Department Changing Animal Control Officers

The Windsor Locks Police Commission is replacing the town’s animal control officer because also being  full-time dispatcher could create a problem for the town.

Scott Paluck held the part-time animal control officer job for about two and a half years, police commission chairman Kevin Brace said. The commission told Paluck Monday they were letting him go from the ACO position, his job as a dispatcher is not affected.

Brace said the commission’s decision was not a reflection on Paluck’s work as an animal control officer. The town’s labor attorney Kevin Dineen advised them that having Paluck hold the two jobs at the same time was not in the best interest of the town.

“It’s like risk management for the town,” Brace said.

If Paluck were to be injured as an ACO and have to take time off, the police department would also be down a dispatcher, Brace said. The dispatcher job is a very technical one, he added.

“It was upsetting to us to let him go as an animal control officer because he did such a great job,” Brace said.

The commission has a candidate who is undergoing a background check and they hope she will start in about two weeks, Brace said. Until then, East Windsor’s animal control officer is covering for Windsor Locks.