Village takes a step forward toward town policing

Board votes 6-1 to ask

to see a contract

By Patricia Bogumil

Editor

The Waterford Village Board decided Monday night to move forward in pursuing a joint policing arrangement with the Town of Waterford.

In a 6-1 vote taken after nearly two hours of discussion, the board approved asking the town to follow up on a proposal for 2016 town policing in the village and submit an actual contract for the village board and attorneys to examine.

In February, the village board asked the town to prepare a joint policing proposal for 2016 for the village board to consider.

Monday’s night’s action is a step toward possibly dissolving a 36-year arrangement for village policing by the Racine County Sheriff’s Department, replacing it with Town of Waterford Police Department coverage.

At its special meeting Monday night, members of the village board examined several options for policing in 2016, including proposals for 24/7/365 coverage prepared by the town and Sheriff’s Office.

The 24/7/365 option of 8,760 annual hours of coverage was not favored. Nor was an idea to start up a village police department.

Instead, board members preferred staying with what they called the “status quo” kind of coverage now in place, with 8,370 hours.

What’s not covered

Under the “status quo” plan currently in place for 2015 and being considered for 2016, about 50-54 weekend nights during the year are not covered by local enforcement.

On those nights, the Sheriff’s Office can provide coverage as part of its services to all Racine County communities – coverage available in theory but which might not actually be available, depending on other service calls that night, trustees noted.

Why switch?

Village board members praised the Sheriff’s Office for providing many years of excellent service.

But switching services to the town police department means village residents will have easier access to officers working in the police offices at the Town Hall on Milwaukee Street in the village, and will also benefit from the many community policing programs the town department offers.

There will also be a more consistent presence of police officers who work in the village and who live in and know the whole community, trustees said.

Village trustees Tamara Pollnow and Jerry Filut and Village Administrator Rebecca Ewald have been working with the Sheriff’s Office and town representatives who prepared the 2016 policing plans reviewed Monday night.

Filut said a switch to town policing would be an “opportunity to take the two communities and put them both together.”

Pollnow said a physical police department building in the village for village residents to go to offers a huge advantage over the present arrangement.

Residents trying to get hold of somebody in the Sheriff’s Department to talk with find it to be “sort of clumsy right now,” said Filut.

By switching to town policing, “I think this is an opportunity to take the two communities and put them both together,” said Filut. “We have a vested interest in each other.”

Board President Tom Roanhouse said many Waterford residents, especially those who’ve moved here in recent years, aren’t clear on whether they live in the town or village.

“Taxpayers want us to work together, have synergy and cost efficiencies,” said Roanhouse. He said officials are under tremendous pressure from residents “to work with the town, and the town to work with us.”

Proposals

In 2016, the “status quo” kind of plans being considered for Village of Waterford policing services could provide:

• 6,570 hours of coverage on second shift, third shift and first shirt off-days in a manner agreed upon with the village; plus
• 1,800 hours of coverage by the Sheriff’s Office for a first-shift deputy working Monday–Friday and for special events (Total Estimated Cost: $477,565); or
• 1,800 hours by the town police for a first-shift officer working Monday–Friday and for special events (Total Estimated Cost: $509,012, although likely “potential offsets” bring that total to $453,039).

The potential offsets include hiring two interested part-time town officers who do not need health insurance; one officer does not need payments into the state retirement plan.

Adding in one-time town startup costs of $38,617, prorated over five years for items like uniforms, tasers and guns, brings the town’s Total Estimated Cost to $460,752. When prorated costs for a new squad are also factored in, Total Estimated Cost is $465,562.

The town proposal is for a five-year arrangement, rather than the one-year plan offered by the Sheriff’s Office.

Increased costs to the town during the five years would be passed on to the village by the same amount; a five-year arrangement ensures better professional continuity for the officers being hired, according to the town proposal.

Some concerns

Village Trustee Tom Christensen questioned the purpose of an “opt out” clause in the town proposal and said he needs clarification of how opting out of a five-year contract works before he can vote final approval for a contract with the town.

Ewald and some trustees said they believe an opt-out clause is standard for many contracts. Town Police Chief Tom Ditscheit agrees.

“Opt-out wording is there to provide confidence that a means is available to deal with a serious failure by either party.  It is common in agreements between two separate entities to protect them both.  I certainly anticipate there will be no need to invoke the option,” Ditscheit said via email Tuesday.

Monday night, trustee Steve Denman cast the sole “no” vote to a motion by trustee Don Hewitt asking the town to put its proposal into contract form.

Denman at first tried to abstain from voting, explaining he has “some insider information” and would prefer to abstain.

Ewald advised that might not be an allowable reason for abstention under the law. Denman then changed his vote to “no.”

Moving forward

The village board is asking the town to prepare a contract for review by the board’s April 27 meeting. “Before you make a final decision, you need to see the contract,” Ewald advised the board.

The issue of moving ahead by preparing a 2016 police services contract is on the agenda when the town board meets Monday, April 13.

Chief Ditscheit said Tuesday he planned to immediately do preliminary research on what a contract would look like. “I will shoot for the 27th if it is approved,” he said.