News

Law Enforcement: A Perplexing Issue
Part One

BY The Gray Public Safety Committee and Town Council

Gray is faced with the problem of whether the current approach to law enforcement is meeting the Town's needs. In this article information is provided so that you can make an informed decision about law enforcement at the June 5, 2004 Town Meeting.

The Gray Public Safety Committee as requested by the Town Council reviewed the options for law enforcement. With the cooperation of the Maine State Police, Cumberland County Sheriff's Department and the communities of New Gloucester and North Yarmouth, information was collected. North Yarmouth chose to work with their adjacent towns while Gray and New Gloucester agreed to approach these services individually.

The information collected indicates several points. Gray continues to grow due to the metropolitan areas to the South and North. With that growth comes a trend of more calls for services. As this trend is likely to continue, the response time and coverage continues to be of concern. Handling those services are both the State Police and Cumberland County Sheriff. How they handle the responses is one of the key points to this review.

Both law enforcement agencies provide a general patrol in predetermined districts of which Gray is a part. When a 911 call is made, either agencies field officer may be called for response. Depending on what they are involved with or where they are located determines how quickly they arrive on the scene in Gray.

The statistics indicate that there are three general groupings of calls for service: Criminal, Traffic and Other.

In the next article we will identify the needs, the alternatives for law enforcement services and the projected costs.

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Law enforcement survey taken last June at high-traffic places. Citizens were questioned as to their interest in increased law enforcement presence:

Are you satisfied with your law enforcement (rural patrols) as provided by Cumberland County and State Police Services?

YES, 72%
NO, 30%
DNV, 0%
295 voted
NOTE: DNV = Did Not Vote

If you were to improve current services, which would you prefer?
24 hr patrol, 62%
7-3, 7%
3-11, 9%
11-7, 21%
234 voted

What other law enforcement services would you like?
traffic enforcement 25%
Youth intervention 22%
Res., Comm checks, 20%
Elderly Checks 32%
Other 1%

Are you willing to support the above enhanced contracted services with an increase in your property tax?

YES 50%
NO 50%
DNV 0%
294 voted