Oxford Hills
Town police force on the line
This past week, Town Manager James Doar, whose suspension of Chief Alan Carr on Sept. 25 led to Carr's resignation for personal reasons on Oct. 20, gave the board two alternatives to consider.
They can either continue to operate a police department by hiring an interim chief from outside the department until a new chief can be hired, or disband the department and contract with the Oxford County Sheriff's Office for law enforcement coverage.
According to Doar's figures, Bethel spends about $313,000 annually to maintain single officer, 24-hour coverage seven days a week.
Switching to county coverage would cost the town $295,000, a savings of $18,000, based on Doar's potential proposal to the county.
Doar said that since Carr resigned, he and Sgt. S.R. White have run the police department.
"Although this system is working, it is temporary at best," Doar said in a memo to selectmen.
He said Bethel needs law enforcement, because the number of calls that Bethel police respond to annually are more than what county and state patrols can respond to in reasonable time periods.
Among the other agenda items are discussions and possible action on:
• An update on the fire station roof, which needs repairs to stop leaks.
• Possibly reversing the direction of one-way traffic at the Casablanca Theater and Bethel Chamber of Commerce office.
• Applying for a Project Efficiency Grant to upgrade the aeration system at the Waste Water Treatment Plant.
• Designating Davis Park as a smoke-free zone.
• A performance guarantee for Grand View Estates Subdivision.
• Letter of support for Bethel Water District to change the Bingham Deed for the district's Chapman Brook Watershed property.
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Displaying comments, from newest to oldest
I think my safety is worth
I think my safety is worth the extra $50 a day to have a local police department. Apparently others think diffrent.
If Bethel has many more
If Bethel has many more calls than the County has, how do you expect the County to cover ALL the complains??? Sounds to me that Bethel needs their own department. For the difference of what you are paying to the proposal I do not think you would be bettering yourself.
Bethel is too big of town
Bethel is too big of town not to have a police department
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