Trenton Police Commissioner Mike Norris says he wants to add an additional police officer to the force in the near future, in order to handle what he terms as the city’s growing traffic control needs. But if initial public reaction such as Monday’s commission workshop is an indicator, more officers on the city’s police beat may be further down the road than Norris would like.
Former commission candidate Cody Doyle spoke at Monday night’s workshop to address Norris’ request from the previous commission meeting, where the commissioner suggested the panel consider budgeting an additional police officer position for the Trenton Police Department, beyond the recent resignation of an officer to another agency.
In a rough-cut estimate on how much the proposal would cost, Norris speculated training, outfitting and an annual salary for both the new and replacement hire at $100,000. That estimate does not include an additional $63.000 for a new patrol vehicle, much of which would be allocated from SPLOST funds. Norris says likely only one new vehicle would be required to be purchased, noting a “back-up” patrol car currently underutilized that is roadworthy.
Doyle says while he supports the local department, he openly wonders if calls for police services as well as recent traffic enforcement justify the additional expenditures.
Citing traffic statistics Doyle says he gleaned from the Georgia Department of Transportation’s website, Doyle says barring a 2018 aberration, that traffic vehicle numbers in the city of Trenton have remained level.
Doyle also pointed out the apparent disparity of traffic stops conducted by Trenton Police. In a four year review of police calls for service and traffic encounters, Doyle compared one officer’s 1800 traffic stops compared to another officer’s 95 stops, in the same time span.
Doyle says the current six person force handles a little more than 7 calls a day and posited for the panel if more resources are truly needed for the police department.
Commissioner Norris noted that the force is for all intensive purposes, currently undermanned nearly every shift.
Norris says he would like to revert back to a minimum of 2 officers on duty every shift, but are now only fielding one officer per shift due to staffing.
While hearing Doyle’s concerns as well as another commissioner who pointed to the need for greater animal control in the city, Norris suggested he was only trying to be proactive for the police department’s needs in the immediate years ahead.
By Vince Lennon