MEXICO – Selectmen from Mexico and Dixfield authorized their town managers to draft a proposal for merging their police departments.

Board members from Mexico and Dixfield got together Tuesday night to discuss the possibilities for sharing services and saving costs, and decided to begin with police coverage.

“We’ve been meeting together periodically for many years. Sooner or later we’ll have to do some type of regionalizing,” Mexico selectmen Chairwoman Barbara Laramee.

With both departments always in need of reserve police officers, the two police departments seemed like the logical place to start, she said.

Both boards agreed that a thorough study of the costs and requirements of the departments is needed to determine if money can be saved while providing the same level of service that both towns have. Each provides 24/7 patrols.

They directed Dixfield Town Manager Eugene Skibitsky and Mexico Town Manager John Madigan to work out a proposal before development of the towns’ 2009-2010 budgets.

A follow-up meeting will be held Jan. 27 to review the draft, ask questions, provide comments and suggest changes in the proposal.

Madigan said the budget development process will begin in March.

“We could add or subtract from the plan to be drawn up by Gene and John. This is a great place to start,” Dixfield Selectman Jim Desjardins said.

Mexico’s Police Department employs one chief, one sergeant and three patrolmen. Dixfield’s Police Department employs one chief, one sergeant, and two patrolmen.

Potential savings include eliminating one chief’s position, reducing the number of patrol vehicles from six to four, and equipping one office, rather than two. Other savings may be found on spending less on specialty equipment for cruisers such as laptop computers, cameras, and other electronics.

“A lot of police officers think this is practical,” Mexico Selectman Peter Merrill said. “I think there could be substantial cost savings. At one time, Mexico and Dixfield were one town. We’re compatible, and so close. There’s no reason we can’t work together.”

“We want to see something with savings. If there is none, there’s no sense in going through the process,” Laramee said.

The Jan. 27 meeting will begin at 5 p.m. at Ludden Memorial Library in Dixfield.

Voters in both towns would have to approve a merger.