Hermon embraces changes in police pact

HERMON – Late last year, town officials decided to “tweak” their law enforcement contract with Penobscot County, but this and other changes have been as much about getting back to basics as they are about making strides forward.

“I think we’re headed in the right direction,” Hermon Councilor Alden Brown said Sunday.

Officials from Hermon and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department are expected to sign the new contract Feb. 16, ushering in what officials said would be greater ties between the town and the sheriff’s office at a time when both are contending with rising demand.

Calls for service in general have increased substantially in recent years, Penobscot County Sheriff Glenn Ross has said.

And Hermon is growing. Housing starts increased by about one-third in 2005 compared with what they were in 2004 and 2003.

In light of these concerns, the town hired a second full-time police officer, who started earlier this year – a first for the town, which previously had relied more heavily on part-time officers and coverage through the sheriff’s office.

Part-time coverage will continue at 110 hours a week, but now there are 80 hours when there will be a full-time constable deputy or sergeant on duty.

The possibility of adding a second full-time position was raised during council meetings as town officials wrangled over how much coverage was needed – and could be afforded – and how much was too much.

Hermon Town Manager Clint Deschene said the topic was raised even before he came on board in Hermon in 2002.

“Before I even walked through the door, there were some councilors who wanted to add another full-time officer,” Deschene said late last week.

But concerns about budget costs and questions of coverage delayed for a few years the addition of a second full-time officer.

Town Councilor Louis “Buzzy” LaChance isn’t convinced that there is much difference, besides the added cost, between hiring a full-time constable deputy and hiring two part-timers.

“It doesn’t make a difference whether it’s one full-time or two part-time,” he said Sunday.

Councilor Don Shepley saw advantages to adding a full-time constable deputy, and a big part of that is continuity. A full-time person likely will stay longer, getting to know the people, the area and issues, he said. Part-timers tend to be more transient, moving on and requiring the town to train replacements.

As an example, Shepley said that Sgt. Bill Laughlin, who retired in December after nearly a decade in Hermon, “knew the town inside and out.”

“We’re a growing town, and we just can’t afford to police the town helter-skelter,” he said.

Still, LaChance said the police coverage “seems to be working out.”

LaChance credits Ross, who became sheriff in 2002, with improving law enforcement coverage in the town.

As part of discussions or under the open-ended contract that will be signed later this month, some other changes in police coverage have been made.

Both Ross and Deschene said that the review process for the contract has led to a greater understanding and closer ties between the town and the county sheriff’s office.

A review of call volumes led to the decision to have an officer on duty from 3 to 5 p.m. daily, when demand is heavy but when there historically has been little to no coverage, Ross said.

Other enhancements include having Sgt. Michael Burgess, who took over for Laughlin in Hermon earlier this year, included in the regular sergeants meetings more so than in the past.

And a detective will be assigned to cover Hermon, again to provide more continuity.

The contract is scheduled to be adopted at the Hermon Council meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 16 at the Hermon Town Office meeting room.