August 28, 2019
Mayor speaks out on city’s policing future
BY DIANE NEWBERRY
As the city has been wondering what policing will be like come 2020 when its current contract with the sheriff’s office expires, Mayor Stuart Merry says he and city council members have been coming up with a plan for a local force.
“You’ll have a police chief and at least one deputy,” Merry said at the Monday meeting of the Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs committee.
Planning ahead
According to Merry, he and other council members have visited Kenmare, Berthold and other cities to see models of what smaller departments are like.
“We’re going around getting input from different cities who have a police force,” Merry said. “It will be set up to where it will serve the needs of Garrison. Another selling point: tax dollars spent local.”
He also said that while he is not sure yet of the cost, he does not expect the new endeavor to cost more than the roughly $160,000 the city would have paid in 2020 to the sheriff.
Council member Marcus Matthews, who voted against the contract renewal, said in a later interview that he was impressed with Kenmare’s department. The department is a two-man operation and its budget this year was $167,400.
“You’ll have a police chief and at least one deputy,” Merry said at the Monday meeting of the Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs committee.
Planning ahead
According to Merry, he and other council members have visited Kenmare, Berthold and other cities to see models of what smaller departments are like.
“We’re going around getting input from different cities who have a police force,” Merry said. “It will be set up to where it will serve the needs of Garrison. Another selling point: tax dollars spent local.”
He also said that while he is not sure yet of the cost, he does not expect the new endeavor to cost more than the roughly $160,000 the city would have paid in 2020 to the sheriff.
Council member Marcus Matthews, who voted against the contract renewal, said in a later interview that he was impressed with Kenmare’s department. The department is a two-man operation and its budget this year was $167,400.
