For the third and final time, residents of Clinton will have an opportunity to weigh in on the town’s police department before a referendum vote on Tuesday, Aug. 13.

The public hearing takes place at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday at Clinton’s Town Office.

The August vote will only be to approve or reject the proposed police budget, which is around $1,000 less than the force’s current operating budget.

If voters reject the spending plan, town officials say next year’s annual Town Meeting will most likely ask residents whether the town wants to maintain a police department.

At the two previous public hearings regarding Clinton’s police department, discussion has been mostly in favor of a local force, with criticisms focusing on poor hiring practices, an abundance of traffic violations issued and cases of police harassment.

At each meeting, a representative of the state police or sheriff’s department was there to answer questions and talk about coverage and response time residents can expect. Depending on where the patroling officers are and the importance of the call, it could take 45 minutes to an hour for a response from state police or the sheriff’s department, police say.