Minimal, no duplication of law enforcement

Dear Editor,

I have react with interest some recent articles in the newspaper regarding area law enforcement services.

In reviewing the articles, I noted some misconceptions and inaccurate information which I wish to address, including costs of dispatch services, asserted duplication of law enforcement services, and the potential benefit of countywide law enforcement.

Hopefully, a review of the issues with factual information will provide more beneficial information on the subjects.

Recent articles regarding the shared costs of Dispatch services between the City and County could lead people to believe the current arrangement is not in the best interest of the County.

Nothing could be farther from reality. The shared services are a good example of governmental entities acquiring vital services in the most effective and cost-efficient manner. The City provides services by state certified personnel based on the percentage of usage by the Sheriffs Department (Currently 13%).

The services include dispatching and related document and record keeping, answering the telephone for the Sheriffs Office a minimum of 128 hours (out of 168 hours) per week and all holidays, as well as forwarding urgent calls and providing messages in other situations; providing national, state, and Department of Motor Vehicle information to the Sheriffs Office and Detention Center; entering and removing all warrants, stolen items, and Protection Orders (which entails hundreds of hours of work); and sundry other services on a 24 hour per day basis.

Were the County to provide Dispatch services separately, it would require the purchase of more than $100,000 in equipment and services, thousands of dollars in annual maintenance and licensing costs, and the addition of five personnel (by statute jailers be Dispatchers). That would not be a wise expenditure of public funds.

The current provision of Dispatching Services to the County is by far the most cost-effective option for providing the services and is a great example of City and County government working together to assure good service and the least possible cost for their citizens.

Inevitably, as budget season approaches, there are concerns regarding duplication of services by government entities. While it is always a good idea to review practices and costs, I believe the facts reveal little, if any, duplication of law enforcement services in the City and County. The McCook Police Department provides needed law enforcement services to the citizens of the City 24 hours per day, seven days a week, 52 weeks per year.

In general, the County provides law enforcement services to citizens of the County outside the City, operates the Detention Center, and maintains court security. While both agencies work together to assist each other as needed, there is very minimal crossover of services.

Also inevitably, as budget season approaches, there is talk of countywide law enforcement. I noted an inaccurate example given by a citizen in a recent Gazette article of Buffalo County and the City of Kearney benefiting from countywide law enforcement. Kearney and Buffalo County do not have countywide law enforcement.

In fact, there are no cities of any size in Nebraska that do utilize countywide law enforcement services. I also noted recent inaccurate comments in some articles indicating that cities must agree to allow counties to provide law enforcement services to opt for countywide law enforcement services.

As I read the Interlocal Agreement Act, it states that any governmental service may be provided for the county by either City or County personnel as best meets the needs of its citizens. That said, as there is minimal or no duplication of law enforcement services in the County, I am not aware that there would be a benefit to our citizens to opt for countywide law enforcement.

Isaac S. Brown,

Police Chief

City of McCook