Residents question town's police coverage
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Rutland Herald Staff - Published: July 8, 2009
FAIR HAVEN — The selectboard here is hearing complaints that police coverage is inadequate, partly because officers are taking out-of-town details in other communities.
Resident Robert Richards claims it's hard to find officers when you need them, complaining that police never responded to a break-in at his mothers house.
Richards said a police dispatcher told him nobody was available.
"I said they're in the house right now, this would be a great time to catch them," he said. "Nobody got back to me."
Richards said he accepts the explanation that the on-duty officer was on a mutual aid call in Castleton, but he did not get a response for several days, and then only after his mother's housecleaner had cleared away much of the damage.
Fair Haven Police Chief William Humphries admitted the follow-up to Richards' call was mishandled. And he said the department brought in $23,000 in revenue this year from details done with other police agencies.
The town has only three full-time officers, a detective split between Fair Haven and Castleton and a cadre of part-time officers, Humphries said he would like to provide 24-hour coverage, but that's not possible now. He said the Selectboard has authorized him to pursue a federal stimulus grant that would pay for a fourth officer.
"With a fourth officer, we could get pretty close to 24 hours a day," he said.
Fair Haven, Castleton and Poultney have been in talks about creating a regional police force, and Humphries said he expects the three boards will meet with a representative of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns soon.
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