Sheriff responds to community questions about Belle police service contract

Posted 12/31/19

The Maries County Advocate has been contacted by several members of the Belle community and surrounding residents for clarification on a police service contract being considered between the Maries …

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Sheriff responds to community questions about Belle police service contract

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The Maries County Advocate has been contacted by several members of the Belle community and surrounding residents for clarification on a police service contract being considered between the Maries County Sheriff’s Department and the Belle Board of Aldermen. The Advocate responded by uploading a survey to our Facebook page, and asking the sheriff to respond to the questions via a video. The video will be posted at www.mariescountyadvocate.com by the end of this week. His answers are as follows.

Q: Will the city be able to dictate to the sheriff’s department what they can and can’t do within the city limits?

A: No, that is not really what it entails. We are going to be providing a service for the city. But as far as them interfering with criminal investigations or dictating how we handle calls and situations, that wouldn’t be part of the contract.

Q: Will the sheriff’s department provide monthly updates at the city meeting?

A: Yes, we will have a designee. Hopefully we will have a supervisor over this area if the city chooses to do this. They will provide statistics every month of how many court cases are being handled, any open cases, number of thefts.

Q: Several people have talked about how this is being funded. Will $155,000 be enough to get more patrol coverage than the city is already receiving? Can you provide a breakdown of where the funds are going to be used?

A: Right now, I know they have two full-time officers and the marshal. This (contract) would have four designated officers for the city and their primary function for the city would be to provide 20 to 24-hour coverage a day. It would be quite a bit more coverage. The $155,000 is to cover the deputies expenses and benefits packages.

The sheriff added they would not be using any of the city’s equipment, electing to purchase new gear.

As far as operating expenses, they will be covered out of the counties 50 percent of court revenue (fines), covering operating expenses, fuel, paper, things of that nature.

Q: Explain how Maries County Sheriff’s Department can patrol the Osage County part of Belle.

A: It’s allowed by state statute. With the city being the governing authority, they can hire whoever they want or contract with other law enforcement agencies as well. We’ve already had that authority for four or five years now, where we can still take calls or make arrests inside Osage County, inside the Belle city limits or property owned by the city of Belle. It is part of a mutual aid agreement, but is also allowed by state statute. There’s several counties that do this — where lines cross in other countries, where if they provide police services for that city, they can patrol other areas that are outside their jurisdiction because the city has given them that authority. As far as felony court cases in Osage County, they will have to be submitted to Osage County court. Crimes in Maries County will go to Maries County court.

Q: Would the Sheriff’s deputies make regular patrols throughout the neighborhoods, or would they be primarily focused on running radar on the highways?

A: Typically your main crimes are going to be on city streets and those are going to be our primary function  — not necessarily the highway. Deterring speeding motorists is a big complaint that even as marshal I heard. So we are going to be actively pursuing that as well, but our main function will be pursuing criminal investigations.

Q: Would the sheriff’s department be diligent in curbing the string of vandalism that happens in the park and around town?

A: Any time that you have proactive law enforcement, deputies out there really working, that is going to curb things like that. People aren’t going to be comfortable doing illicit drugs in public. That would be one of our primary goals. I have always had an aggressive law enforcement style and even when I was marshal we have always been pretty aggressive in the city. Sometimes that is what the city needs. If the city decides to do this, we would provide that service for them.

Q: Would the sheriff’s department be able to make it less convenient/comfortable for the meth trash and thieves” that plague the community?

A: Make it less comfortable for criminals, basically. Yes, I think anytime you’re proactive, criminals aren’t going to be able to operate in the open. They are going to have to duck and dodge you. If you have aggressive law enforcement, those criminals are going to go elsewhere where they have less aggressive law enforcement.

Q: On the marshal’s responsibilities under the Maries County contract, it stipulates the marshal would be a nuisance officer?

A: We would request that because I would want my deputies to primarily focus on criminal investigations and have him handle the abatements or tall grass, things of that nature. We would be willing to help with that if the city gets behind.

Q: Is there anything you feel the public has given you feedback on that you need to add, as far as clarification to the contract or your involvement?

A: We were requested to possibly do this service, and if the city wants us to do this service, we would be happy to provide that and do the best job we can. If they choose not to, I respect that decision and that is fine as well. I support whatever decision the city makes.