Police
protection plan may go to voters
By Janet Neal
Gray- At the Town Council meeting on Tuesday night,
the Public Safety Committee provided a public presentation
of their years of research, meetings, and surveys,
and a summary of law enforcement proposals currently
available to the Town. The Committee recommended that
the Council actively pursue public engagement at this
time, and make a decision whether to place a specific
proposal on the Warrant at Town Meeting this June.
Public Safety Committee member Stephen Pelletier made
the detailed and comprehensive report to the Council
and citizens. He outlined the history of police coverage
in Gray from the mid 1970s when the Town was covered
by contracted Deputies from the Cumberland County
Sheriffs' Office, to the present day, with protection
by one regional Deputy or State Trooper covering an
entire four-town area. The report concludes with three
basic options.
One option is to continue coverage as it currently
exists. Current patrol coverage comes from two sources.
Maine State Police provide Trooper Rural Patrol covering
Gray, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, and Pownal.
Current services include parades, 911 assistance,
and special events, and is paid through state income
taxes, at no additional cost to Gray. The other source
of coverage comes from the Cumberland County Sheriff
Department's Revenue Patrol program. It is funded
by property taxes to the county and covers the same
towns. In both cases, the officer may be called out
of the zone.
Option two would provide one officer on patrol 40
hours per week in Gray, with days and times to be
negotiated. The cost of this proposal is projected
at $110,000. Town Manager Mitchell A. Berkowitz estimated
that this would cost individual taxpayers $17.50 per
$100,000 of property value.
A third option is to go to full time coverage, 24
hours a day, 7 days a week. The price tag is estimated
at between $450,000 and $460,000 the first year. Berkowitz
calculated the impact for taxpayers at about $73 per
$100,000 property value. If the contract were with
State Police, the Sheriff would discontinue the current
arrangement. If the contract were with the Sheriff's
Department, the State Police would continue roving
patrols.
When asked by Councilor Dick Barter what the Safety
Committee recommended, Pelletier responded that the
Committee has no authority or power other than to
investigate and present the facts to the people so
they can decide for themselves.
After years of study, surveys and questionnaires,
Chair Pam Wilkinson stated that it is time for the
people to decide. A public forum will be held on March
8 for citizens to learn more about the options, ask
questions, and provide input. The Council will then
decide what option, if any, to place on the Warrant.
The
Monument Survey is at www.monumentnews.com, click
on Surveys on the left hand menu bar. Do you want
increased police patrols and would you have your taxes
raised to pay for it? Click yes or no and then 'view
stats' to see how others voted.
