Independent Police Force Considered

The potential benefits – and also the possible additional costs – of establishing an independent town police department were given a full hearing by the Town Council Wednesday.

The town now contracts with the state for a Resident State Trooper, who supervises a force of 21 Ledyard police officers. But two years ago a committee to study the town’s police needs recommended that the town move to an independent police force supervised by a local chief of police.

Town Councilor David Holdridge, chairman of the Community Services Committee, presented the recommendation to the council. At his final meeting as a council member, Holdridge reviewed the reasons for the recommendation.

Reasons ranged from allowing the town to take advantage of a regional agreement by which specialized police services are shared between towns, to a clearer chain of command.

Holdridge said the town’s contract with the state precludes requesting specialized services, such as a K9 unit or a diving team, without first obtaining authorization from the state police.

“It takes time to get authorization,” he said. “The chain of command with a chief of police would be quick and clear, which is not the case now.”

Holdridge said emergency 911 calls that are not for fire or ambulance are routinely transferred to the state police, a system he called unacceptable. “A person calling 911 could be hysterical, and then would have to repeat the call all over again,” he said. “It’s not a good system.”

In fact, he said, it is an awkward system. “Our officers are well-trained and shouldn’t be marginalized as they are under this system.”

Holdridge acknowledged that the town has no lock-up facilities for holding prisoners, but he said this service could be contracted with another town, such as Groton. 

He said the town could possibly save money with its own force, noting that the cost of the Resident Trooper program has been rising. “The cost of a local chief of police would be more stable and under our control,” he said.

The recommendation has remained for many months with the council’s Finance Committee. Finannce Chairman Jim Diaz, also serving his final meeting on the council, said it was difficult to quantify some of the costs associated with an independent force. “But we felt strongly that we would get into increased costs.”

Diaz said towns with independent police departments tend to pay a much higher rate for police services. One area of particular concern is hypertension costs. “You can’t buy hypertension insurance,” Diaz said. “We’d have to be self-insured.”

Holdridge, however, said the town’s hypertension exposure would be no greater with an independent force than it is under the present system.

Diaz also questioned the cost of contracting with another town for a lock-up facility. He said such arrangements have a way of increasing in scope, and not the other way around.

“We have a boat, we have dogs, we have our own detective division,” Diaz said. “The town needs to look at what its needs are.”

The council agreed to leave the matter for the new town council to take up.

Mayor-elect John Rodolico, during his campaign, said he favored the concept of an independent police force, but recommended that a five-year cost analysis first be completed before making a final decision.