By Richard Crawford

Beginning in January, townships in Carver County that don’t pay for contract police services can expect to see a decline in selected services from the Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Bud Olson has put township officials on notice.

“We’ve been talking about it for years,” Olson said Tuesday, regarding the plan to cut non-emergency services in eight townships that have chosen not to pay for them in 2010.

Sheriff’s deputies will continue to respond to emergency calls in the townships. However, lower level service, including such things as routine traffic enforcement and responding to dog complaints, illegal dumping and ordinance violations, will not be provided. (See complete list below.)

Of the 10 townships in Carver County, only Laketown and Watertown townships have budgeted for contract police service next year.

Cities in the county, with the exception of Chaska, which has its own police department, pay for certain services through a contract arrangement.

Since 2004, Olson said the Sheriff’s Office has implementing the contracting policing model. However, only three townships have paid for contracts. This year, Hollywood Township paid for contract services but the township board didn’t budget for the services in 2010.

In recent years, some lower-level misdemeanors have already been referred to township boards in non-contract communities.

Olson, who will be retiring at the end of 2010, said it was time to “close the loop” on the contract police discussion and provide equitable service to all county residents.

Olson met with township officials in October to explain that service would be reduced in 2010 for those who don’t pay for the contracts. He said three townships didn’t send representatives to the meeting.

“In 1999, when I first was elected, we have been working on defining what calls and services needed to be covered by the local unit of government and the county,” Olson said. “We defined these calls and services in 2004 and have been working diligently with cities and townships to decide what level of police service they wish to provide their citizens. We have reached the point in our conversations where townships and cities have decided on their level of service.”

In addition to not responding to nuisance complaints, the Sheriff’s Office also will not investigate property damage and thefts that have a price tag under $1,000.

Olson said it will be left up to township boards to determine how to handle such calls. One option would be to hire a town officer, which many rural communities did in the past.

Townships also could opt back in to a police contract with the county. Townships, however, generally deal with budget matters at annual meetings in March.

Commander Jeff Enevold said the Sheriff’s Office has considered a variety of formulas for determining how to pay for contract services.

He said it has worked out to be about $62 per household in some townships.

Olson stressed that deputies will continue to respond to all emergency calls in the county. It will be up to township officials in non-contract communities to determine how to handle other matters.

Richard Crawford can be reached at editor@chanvillager.com.

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Sheriff’s Office Services to be trimmed

Effective January 1, 2010 communities who do not contract with the Caver County Sheriff’s Office will no longer receive the following services.  

Traffic Safety & Education

* Proactive preventative patrol services on local roads

* General Speeding complaints

* General Driving complaints

* Snowmobile/ATV complaints

* Funeral assists

* Overweight vehicle enforcement

* Traffic control

* Extra patrol requests

* Target hardening on problem areas

* Vacation and business checks  

Public Nuisances

* Noise complaints  

* Lost/found property

* Fireworks

* Illegal dumping (non-hazard)

* Littering

* Barking dogs

* Dogs at large

* Wild animals

* Ordinance violations (E.G., junk autos, solicitor complaints, skate boarding complaints, etc)  

Property Damage

* No follow up to property damage under $1000.00 – Report taken  

Theft

* No follow up investigation on thefts under $1000.00 – Report taken  

Local Control/Local Identity  

* “Town Deputy” model establishes a police identity within the jurisdiction

* Local officials participate in deputy selection and assignment

* Local deputies familiar with local people and local concerns

* Development of annual work plan to address specific local concerns  

Communication/Coordination

* Identify & solve issues before they become bigger concerns (i.e., problem solving)

 * “Town Deputy” assists in resource allocation and coordination of policing matters for local events

* “Town Deputy” is available to attend city and town meetings and maintain direct contact with the city/town employees to enhance inter-agency communications

Call Response & Enforcement

* Response to all calls for service

* Timely response to calls for service

* Investigation and follow up on misdemeanor crimes  

Administrative Services

* Development of annual police contract, detailing costs and obligations

* Development and distribution of monthly activity reports

* Development and web posting of quarterly reports

* Coordination of citizen feedback surveys

* Development and analysis of crime trends

* Statistical analysis to identify problem areas and target specific activities

* State aid refund * Processing and disbursement of alarm response fees

* Receipt of percentage of citation fines

* Participation in the Sheriff’s Contract Committee (SCC)

Community Outreach

* Crime prevention services

* Development of neighborhood watch programs

* “Town Deputy” attendance at local events (E.G, National Night Out)

The Sheriff’s Office will respond to any of the calls for service listed above if they believe the call is:

* An emergency

* Needed to “keep the peace”

* A serious public safety risk/threat