By Kelly Morgan,Staff Writer

PARIS – The Oxford County Sheriff’s Office and some police chiefs are at odds over which software packages could improve countywide communications.

At a meeting of the Oxford County commissioners on Tuesday, chiefs from the Bethel, Norway and Paris police departments said they are considering the purchase of computer software that would allow them to share information on everything from daily arrests to criminal records. It would not, however, be compatible with programs already used by the Sheriff’s Office and the Oxford Police Department.

This has rankled some at the Sheriff’s Office, a fact that became apparent Tuesday. After stating that the county and local police departments work well together, Paris Police Chief David Verrier noted that the software issue has led to a “stumbling block.”

Verrier admitted that he knows little about the software used by the county. However, he called the technology, which is produced by Spillman Technologies Inc. of Utah, “outdated.” Verrier then said he wanted the Sheriff’s Office at least to entertain a presentation on software offered by Information Management Corp. of North Grafton, Mass.

Oxford County Sheriff Skip Herrick admitted he has not seen a formal presentation on the Information Management Corp. software. However, he said he had no need to do so “because Spillman here works.”

Both Herrick and Chief Deputy Jim Davis said it would probably cost county taxpayers too much to switch to new software. They also warned that data maintained with the Spillman system could be lost in any changeover.

Davis added that if local police departments fail to purchase compatible software, it would likely be impossible to get federal grants to help purchase software upgrades or provide training.

Neither side presented a concrete comparison between the programs or related dollar figures. While the county commissioners said they may be interested in exploring the matter further, they made no mention of when.

Commissioner David Duguay said, “If both companies are solid companies and nothing’s broken the way it is, I don’t see a lot of benefit to the county.”

Chairman Steve Merrill thanked Verrier and other chiefs who spoke during the meeting, but added that “at the county level, it’s always going to come down to what’s most cost-effective for the taxpayers.”