PARIS — The chiefs of the Paris and Norway police departments want to merge, with Norway Chief Robert Federico leading the two-town force and Paris Chief David Verrier working below him.

At a meeting before both towns’ boards of selectmen Monday night, Verrier and Federico proposed a one-year trial period, starting in July, wherein the two departments would work as one until the end of the next budget year.

After a trial period, voters in both towns would have a chance to merge the two departments permanently. The measure would have to pass in both towns for the merger to take place.

Federico and Verrier said the merger would provide better coverage for both Norway and Paris, allowing the towns to keep three officers on duty at all times, including one supervisor. Three detectives would be assigned to cover drug crimes, property crimes and crimes against people.

The projected savings are slim, but the level of coverage would increase dramatically, Federico said. Instead of having six or eight officers, as the towns have now, 14 officers would be out protecting the residents of both towns.

Verrier said his department is scrambling to keep up with area crime. “More criminal element is moving into our area,” he told the Paris and Norway selectmen at the meeting. “There’s people we don’t recognize.”

With officers spending more time working with individuals, doing what Verrier called “social work,” going after drunk drivers, speeders and other offenses has taken a back seat. Drugs have become a bigger problem, he said, with police making arrests for heroin, cocaine and prescription painkillers.

He said he and Federico put together the plan in response to calls for cuts and an unwillingness to pay for new equipment. He cited a recent Paris Budget Committee meeting where he was asked whether he needed to replace old bulletproof vests. He said he’s been asked whether the town could lose an officer.

“We can’t do this job with four or five people,” Verrier said. “It’s not safe for my officers. It’s not safe for the community.”

Verrier said he doesn’t want to give up leadership of his own apartment, but said it would be better for the community. “Do I hate to give it up? I do,” he admitted. Still, he said, “The community needs law enforcement.”

Paris Selectman Ted Kurtz said that some in town have asked whether Paris should dissolve its Police Department and bring in the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office, as Bethel did two years ago.

Norway Town Manager David Holt said there’s a big difference in calls for service between Bethel and Norway-Paris. Norway has more calls for service alone than the entire sheriff’s office countywide, Holt said.

Verrier said keeping the same officers in town makes more sense than the Sheriff’s Office, which he said would patrol Paris with a revolving lineup of deputies. He said he could cover Paris at a cost similar to what Bethel pays the Sheriff’s office, but residents wouldn’t like the level of coverage.

Police departments have merged successfully in Massachusetts towns, Federico said, and much of the research he and Verrier turned up came from success stories there.

Holt and Paris Town Manager Phil Tarr said there would be several factors to consider, like liability, workers’ compensation and other responsibilities.

The Paris and Norway boards directed Holt, Tarr, Verrier and Federico to continue researching how such a cooperation would work. In the meantime, Paris selectmen will talk to Sheriff Wayne Gallant on the possibility of paying for law enforcement services through the county.

treaves@sunjournal.com

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