PARIS — Oxford County Sheriff Christopher Wainwright said if his agency provided police coverage to the town of Paris, each deputy assigned would cost the town $168,466 per year.

Wainwright discussed the process during a meeting last week with dozens of residents and town officials in attendance. A few residents had asked for the meeting, seeking options for alternative police coverage at a less expensive price.

Some residents are unhappy that the proposed budget for the Police Department is $1.3 million.

A cost analysis by the Oxford County Commission determined the $168,466 cost per individual, Wainwright said. That includes salaries, benefits, vehicles and other equipment. He added that neither he nor the county would make a profit from the cost.

“Law enforcement is a tough job,” Wainwright said. “I’m not trying to advocate or take over. I was asked to come here and give some information.”

The Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement services to Bethel and Dixfield at the same price. The county is in discussions with Mexico, which recently voted to disband its police department.

The Sheriff’s Office employs 23 deputies and four school resource officers who cover up to 50 towns and townships throughout the county, Wainwright said.

To provide 24-hour coverage, towns need to hire a minimum of four deputies, which is the number the county provides Bethel.

Dixfield’s contract calls for three deputies.

“Don’t think I’m saying that we can cover the town of Paris with four people. I’m not saying that,” Wainwright said.

Wainwright said he could not make a recommendation for how many deputies Paris should hire, saying it was up to the town manager and Select Board.

“Paris is a busy town so you may want five or six deputies,” Wainwright said. “I don’t know. No one has asked me to look at the numbers.”

Paris employs 11 officers.

In addition to deputies, the town could also request an investigator, who would only work in Paris, for the same price.

The county would cover any administrative costs.

Residents expressed concern about mutual aid calls, wondering how often the Paris deputy would get called out of town.

Wainwright said it would be similar to what happens now when Paris, Norway and Oxford need mutual assistance.

Disbanding the Paris Police Department would come at a price before any contract is signed with the county, Town Manager Natalie Andrews said.

“There’s a cost if we get rid of the PD,” Andrews said. “I’ve been talking to the union. I’ve been talking with the auditor. I’ve been talking with (Maine Municipal Association). We have to ascertain what the costs is. We have to pay all the officers for their vacation time. Because we’re in the middle of a contract the union has already said they are presenting a settlement for the officers.”

“All of those costs have to be put into a number for us to be able to know what it is going to cost us to not have a PD.”

She added it is impossible to get all that information together for voters before the town meeting next month. The town would have to schedule a special town meeting at a later date to discuss options for police coverage.