Town prepares to draft a proposal for Village of Waterford policing

By Dave Fidlin

Correspondent

In a scenario with echos from decisions made a few years past, Town of Waterford officials agreed Monday night to offer a proposal for police services to the Village of Waterford.

What is not reminiscent, however, is the likely cost of such an arrangement.

While specific numbers and dollar figures were not discussed, the Town Board on March 9 voted to work up and send a proposal to the village.

With consultation from Police Chief Tom Ditscheit, town officials plan on sending the village a proposal that calls on hiring four full-time equivalency officers. When the town sent its last proposal in 2012 — which the village ultimately rejected — it called on staffing the village with three FTE officers.

Unlike the past proposal, Ditscheit said he believes an additional officer would be needed to adequately cover second and third shift operation on a 24-7 basis.

Speaking in terms of having three FTE officers in the village, Ditscheit said, “It would require having some very, very dedicated part-time people that we would have to count on.”

Ditscheit said he believes the town’s proposal would cost the village more than the current arrangement of utilizing deputies from the Racine County Sheriff’s Department.

Cost aside, Ditscheit said he sees value in the two Waterfords putting on a united front. The overture, he asserted, would benefit residents in both municipalities.

“There’s many areas where we could be working together,” Ditscheit said. “This would be a start.”

From a communitywide perspective, Town Chairman Tom Hincz said he sees a benefit in providing local officers to the village.

“I think this would provide a level of police service to this community that has never been done before,” Hincz commented. “I think people would be receptive to it.”

The village and town will likely discuss specific numbers — including the cost of such a service — in the month ahead. The village has asked the town and sheriff for police service proposals beginning in 2016.

While the town’s services would likely cost more than the cost coming out of the sheriff’s department, Hincz said there is value in the village tapping the town’s resources.

“We have a very dedicated police force,” Hincz said. “We haven’t had to do hardly any hiring.”

In addition to the 4-FTE proposal, the town will likely ask the village for a long-term commitment if the two were to work together on policing. Several board members suggested a minimum agreement of five years because of the amount of work that would go into pooling resources.

Hincz and Ditscheit each suggested the proposed arrangement would benefit the village more than the town.

“There would be headaches on our end because of this,” Hincz said. “The town would not be profiting from this. But it’s an opportunity to look at something that might benefit the community.”

The Village Board will likely review and possibly act on the town’s proposal at the next regular meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 23.