The Hooksett Town Council unanimously voted at its meeting July 8 to add two members to the Police Commission, but it will take an act of the Legislature and approval of town voters to make it happen.

The Hooksett Police Commission, which now consists of three appointed members and oversees budgetary and personnel issues of the Police Department, was established by legislation passed in 1975 and adopted by Hooksett voters in a special town meeting that year.

Because of the nature of the legislation, Rep. David Boutin, the newest Town Council member, explained the council will have to appeal at the state level to change the number of commission members.

Boutin said if the council submits a request to change the legislation by September, the House will likely begin reviewing the request next March. He said it should offer the town enough time to include the proposed change in the town warrant in May to be approved by local voters.

The motion to increase the number of residents on the commission was posed by Town Councilor Michael Pischetola, who recently accused two current members of the commission of acting inappropriately.

Police Commissioners Henry Roy and David Gagnon wrote two joint letters outlining their belief that no one with any police experience in their background should be considered as a viable candidate for the commission.

Pischetola, a former police officer himself, felt the comments reflected a negative bias.

The council ultimately chose to fill an empty seat on the commission with Joanne McHugh, a former School Board chairman, who has no police experience. She beat five other candidates for the volunteer job, three of them current or former police officers.

The council also amended its policy for adopting new police commissioners. The council, which formerly sought advice from any current commissioner on the applicants, eliminated that step from the process.

It will continue to conduct criminal background checks on candidates.