Manchester mayoral candidate Joyce Craig says she would push to hire additional police officers as part of her plan to battle the city’s heroin epidemic.
Speaking with NHPR’s Morning Edition, Craig says the department needs another 22 police officers to be fully staffed.
"They've been working very, very hard to arrest the people that are dealing drugs, so that's been going well. But we do need to build that force up to the place where they need to be."
And on education, Craig says she would urge the towns of Hooksett, Candia, and Auburn to go back to sending their high school students to Manchester schools. The towns pulled out of their contracts with the city, citing concerns about large class sizes.
"We'd have the kids back and the revenue, and we'd be able to build the schools back to where they once were."
Craig, a Democrat, has served as Manchester's Ward 1 alderman since 2009. She also served on the city's school board.
She's looking to unseat incumbent Mayor Ted Gastsas. The Republican is seeking his fourth consecutive two-year term.
Voters head to the polls Tuesday.
