Police strategy put under scrutiny

Thursday, Nov. 10, 2005

Some Clinton residents are concerned about an understaffed police department, and they want increased police visibility, more community involvement to assist officers assigned to District 5, and perhaps even a new police chief, according to a community evaluation of a resource enhancement plan.

Despite their many attempts to collaborate with County Executive Jack Johnson and Police Chief Melvin High on the plan for officers in District 5, community leaders say they have not received the collaboration needed to carry it out.

An evaluation of the plan, which was signed by community leaders and hand delivered to Johnson on Oct. 28, will hopefully provide the catalyst needed to increase police visibility and improve emergency response time in District 5, community leaders said.

In the evaluation, they expressed concern that disputes between Chief High and his officers have caused problems within the department and suggested naming a new police chief as a step in the right direction.

‘‘The evaluation of the enhancement plan is the first step in holding county and police officials to their word,” said Ed Evans, senior advisor for the North Clinton Community Patrol.

County Executive Jack Johnson, Police Chief Melvin High and community leaders originally presented the residents of Police District V with a resource enhancement plan that was designed to improve law enforcement back in March. Community leaders drew up the proposal for the plan, which was subsequently backed by county officials.

‘‘Our concern is not to hurt or harm the police department but to make it better and improve it,” said Evans, who helped draw up both proposals.

Despite their many concerns, community leaders noted in the evaluation that they are pleased with the performance of District V Commander David Morris and other officers in District V.

‘‘Chief High has not commented on the plan and it is still being reviewed at this time,” Lt. Terence Sheppard, a spokesperson for the county police, said.

Community leaders are also still waiting to move ahead on the creation of a police-community steering committee, to meet quarterly to discuss the progress of the enhancement plan.

The plan called for the assignment of 30 additional officers to the District V in 2005 and in 2006. So far this year, the District has been assigned 14 additional officers. With less than two months left in the year, community leaders are doubtful that the appropriate increase in staff will be met.

‘‘Most of these problems are solved if we get the increase in staff,” said Clint Burnham, president of the North Clinton Citizens Association. All the visibility in the last nine months was mostly due to police working overtime, said Burnham. ‘‘Now they’ve cut back on overtime and I presume that we’re not going to get the visibility we’ve had,” he said.

Leaders are also waiting to work with the county on a program through which residents could volunteer their time in order to help free up sworn officers to patrol.

A few days after receiving the evaluation, Johnson agreed to schedule a meeting with community leaders.

‘‘I was encouraged that we did get an early response,” said Williamsburg Estates Citizens Association President Carolyn Lowe, who also spearheaded the proposal for the enhancement plan and its evaluation.

Representatives from Jack Johnson’s office said that Johnson would most likely comment on the evaluation after the meeting.

E-mail Erin Henk at ehenk@gazette.net