Disbanding of local police force proposed

Town council members and several members of the public were on hand Monday evening in the Odessa Public Library to hear a proposal by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office regarding having the LCSO take over as the law enforcement body for the Town of Odessa. Under the proposal presented by Sheriff Wade Magers and Undersheriff Kelly Watkins, the Odessa Town Marshal’s Office would be disbanded, although the current Odessa office location would remain and could serve as a LCSO substation for deputies to use for writing reports, using the office phone and providing community visibility.

Since the resignation of Marshal Mike Wren last week, the LCSO has been providing added coverage for the town. It will continue to do so, Magers said, until the community, its administrators and citizens, have debated and made their decision as to hiring a new marshal or accepting the LCSO proposal.

Pros

One of the main advantages of accepting the Sheriff’s proposal, according to Magers, is that liability in the event of any legal action taken against a law enforcement officer would shift from the Town of Odessa to the Sheriff’s Office, and any resulting costs would thus be split among all Lincoln County taxpayers rather than just citizens of the Town of Odessa.

Another advantage cited by Magers is that communication within a single agency is much better than that between two different agencies. Efficiency is thus increased, and law enforcement has a better overview of current crimes and the circumstances surrounding them.

A third advantage that exists right now but may not always, is that three deputies already live in or near Odessa and can offer more efficient backup potential in their off-duty hours.

Cons

The disadvantages of having the LCSO provide law enforcement for the Town of Odessa, also included in the Sheriff’s Office presentation, are the loss of local control of policing activities within the town and the loss of identity that a local police force gives to a town or city.

What about Bryce?

Addressing concerns expressed by several citizens present, Magers said that Odessa Deputy Marshal Bryce Peterson would be a welcome addition to the Sheriff’s Office, as long as he was able to comply with the requirements that every other deputy had to meet. Without knowing what specific kinds of testing Peterson had already undergone, beyond attendance at the police academy, Magers said he would need to review the officer’s background and administer department-specific tests prior to making Peterson a permanent hire.

So what would be the outcome if the town were to accept the offer of the Sheriff’s Office? Disbanding of the Town Marshal’s office would mean turning over all police equipment, including vehicles, gear, weapons, the contents of the evidence room, office equipment, in fact anything that the larger agency is interested in having. Officer Peterson’s police bicycle was mentioned, with Magers saying that he likely would not need the bicycle, although he added that the Sheriff’s Office itself has in the past used bicycle patrols.

Magers said that disbanding the Odessa police and signing a contract for service with the Sheriff’s Office was a year-to-year commitment, and that if the Town wished to go back to having its own police department at some point in the future, it had a right to do so. No mention was made of the fact that if it did so, the town would likely have to start from scratch, purchasing all new equipment and supplies. And no one pressed Magers on the issue.

The cost of the 4-wheel drive vehicle recently purchased by the Town was the only item mentioned for which the Sheriff’s Office would issue a credit to be deducted from the agreed sum for services to be provided annually by the county agency.

What now?

The members of the Town Council must now make a decision on what is best for the town and its citizens. The members of the police committee, Lois (Fisher) Hubbard and Lynn Schmidt, are asking the public for help prior to making a recommendation on the proposal to their fellow council members. Both live in town and are listed in the phone book.

Editor's note: This week's council meeting was long and eventful with the Sheriff's Office presentation in addition to all of the other usual business handled by the council. A report on the 'other' business will follow in next week's edition of The Record.