By Lee Weyhrich
PINSON —
In addition to regular business Thursday night, the Pinson city council also entertained a presentation from a representative of the Jefferson County sheriff’s department regarding the costs of establishing a local police department.
Sergeant John Pennington gave a thorough presentation on the associated costs and issues Pinson could face with the start of a new police force. He also talked about the things the sheriff’s department brings to the table that would be out of reach for a smaller city department.
Pennington explained that in addition to patrol officers, the sheriff’s department also supplies trained investigators and forensic technicians. They also provide people to handle and file reports and upload them to the state system. In addition to these basic services, the department also has Special Operations Officers, including S.W.A.T, narcotic and bomb experts, public relations officials, youth services, sex offender registry and notification and many more.
Pennington figures the cost of a police force, with the 13 officers Cochran proposed, and including all startup costs with equipment is around $2.25 million. That figure does not take into account hidden expenses such as overtime, yearly officer certifications, technical support, maintenance, fuel costs, ammunition, supplies and other expenses.
According to Pennington, it would cost around $1,750 per officer, per year, just for certification classes through Jefferson County.
Pennington stressed many of his figures were estimated and that it would behoove the council to hire an outside firm for more accurate numbers before making a final decision.
The council has already bandied around alternates to a city police force. During the last council meeting the council discussed a bit of a compromise plan. In that alternate plan the sheriff’s department would still supply officers, but those officers would be based out of a Pinson station and operate more like a city force. The number of officers would be increased, the library would move into the Rock school, and the current library would become a base of operations for the deputies as well as the office of a full-time supervisor.
As the mayor described it, this would allow the sheriff’s to set up and operate the department, but the department would serve Pinson residents like an independent force. According to Sanders, Sheriff Mike Hale is amenable to that idea.