SOUTHWICK – At the Aug. 31 Southwick Select Board meeting, the board discussed repurposing old police and fire vehicles for new use and gave an update on the continued discussions about the auxiliary police force.

During the meeting, the Select Board discussed repurposing one of the town’s vehicles as a dive rescue unit.

“There’s discussion about repurposing the rescue truck as a joint police and fire dive rescue and recovery unit. That would remain in the fire station bay and this would allow the 1985 Chevy truck that the police are using to be sold,” Town Chief Administrative Officer Karl Stinehart said.

As part of the vehicle changes, the police department would also be acquiring three new vehicles.

“The police got approval to acquire three vehicles, and at one point there was going to be a grant and we were going to try to get something bigger for the K-9 unit but it looks like that grant is not going to materialize so the police are going to be acquiring a new K-9 unit out of the three,” Stinehart said.

Along with acquiring the new vehicles, the old K-9 unit would be repurposed for use in town and another unmarked car would become a police training vehicle.

Ultimately, the board unanimously approved the vehicle recommendations from the Police Department.

Later in the meeting, Stinehart added that the town is looking for applications for the Ad Hoc Cable Advisory Committee, as they have not received any applications.

After a lengthy discussion about the auxiliary police force at its last meeting, Select Board Chair Doug Moglin said that he met with Lt. Robert Landis, Chief Kevin Bishop, and Southwick Emergency Management Agency Director Charles Dunlap to come to an agreement on the force.

“I believe we finally slayed that dragon and a deal has been brokered. At the end of the day, the auxiliary will be activated by the police, but under Mass. General Law they’re actually under civil defense as a matter of law so we have to get clarification from the attorney so we can word that correctly,” he said.

Moglin added that currently the town’s attorney is working on the wording of the motion and the Select Board will formally vote to approve the auxiliary police force at its next meeting.

Along with approving the force, Stinehart said Landis would be updating the wording for other department policies.

“I believe at an upcoming meeting you will be seeing further revisions by the lieutenant that will reflect the duties of reserve officers now as well as the description of auxiliary police and what their standards for training are,” he said.

The Southwick Select Board next meets on Sept. 15.