PARIS — Having the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office take over police duties would cost the town more than its own department, according to a proposal from Sheriff Wayne Gallant.
While the Paris and Norway police departments discuss merging, some residents are asking the town to look into replacing the department with contractual services through the Sheriff’s Office, as Bethel did two years ago.
Paris received a contract proposal for $671,748 for the first year for setup costs such as additional police cruisers and radios, and $568,348 for subsequent years. That’s more than the $505,934 for the Police Department budget proposed for 2012-13 fiscal year.
It’s also more than the $295,000 Bethel pays for services, although that town has about half the population of Paris and fewer calls for service.
Gallant’s proposal would have six and a half deputy positions patrolling Paris, as well as a part-time administrative assistant. The Sheriff’s Office would use Paris’ three cruisers and buy three more. If the town or Sheriff’s Office decided to end the contract, the three new cruisers would belong to the town.
Town Manager Phil Tarr met with Sheriff Gallant last week to discuss the town’s needs. Tarr said he received the sheriff’s estimate Monday, and would need to take a careful look at the differences in coverage.
Several in town pitched the idea as a cost-cutting measure. Bethel saved money switching to the Sheriff’s Office, and some hoped Paris could, too.
At recent Budget Committee and Board of Selectmen meetings, there have been discussions on how the Police Department could save more.
At a March 15 Budget Committee meeting, committee members asked Chief David Verrier whether his department really needed improvements like a new police station door and bulletproof vests.
Tarr said there was also an issue of whether the Sheriff’s Office could enforce ordinances specific to Paris, such as the shoreland zoning and curfew ordinances, or whether deputies could only enforce statewide laws. The board will discuss the possibility of switching to county coverage at the April 23 meeting.
Paris and Norway are looking into merging their police departments, an idea proposed by Verrier and Norway Chief Robert Federico. Paris has six full-time officers; Norway has eight.
Tarr said law enforcement needs have increased greatly in Paris and Norway in recent years. “It isn’t just catching speeders or pulling drunks over,” he told selectmen. “It’s some horrendous family issues.” In addition to stopping crime, police have in some ways become social workers, he said.
The merger is meant to improve coverage without costing more money. After meeting with Paris and Norway officers, Tarr said about 90 percent support the merger. A couple of Police Department employees aren’t against a merger but are “hesitant,” Tarr said.
Tarr said he and Norway Town Manager David Holt are looking for savings beyond what the police chiefs have projected in merging the two departments.
treaves@sunjournal.com
Note: In a previous version of this story, the numbers of officers for the Paris and Norway police departments were transposed. It was a reporting error.
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