The problems of maintaining a small but effective law enforcement agency aren’t unique to Oxford County towns. But they’re the ones talking about it.

Bethel, Dixfield and Mexico acknowledge two distinct law enforcement problems: Their police costs are escalating and their ability to retain police officers is declining.

They’re talking about letting the sheriff’s department take over coverage.

Several towns in Maine without police forces turn to the county sheriff for law enforcement. State law requires counties to provide enforcement for towns without police of their own.

The plan advanced by Bethel, Dixfield and Mexico isn’t simple cost-shifting and burden-shifting, however. They would contract with the sheriff’s department to provide a certain level of service for a certain level of funding.

The proposed plan would be unique for Oxford County, not unique for Maine. Cumberland County has a similar agreement with some of its towns.

The discussion last week before county commissioners was an attempt to start the dialogue. Both the sheriff’s department and commissioners were willing to let the discussions continue.

One of the points will be strictly dollars and cents: The towns will tell the sheriff what they need, and the sheriff will tell the towns how much that level of coverage will cost. It’s a number the three town managers can take to June town meetings. Voters can compare the dollar figure from the sheriff to what they’re paying now.

But another point, and perhaps a stronger one, will be more difficult to calculate. The ability of small towns with small police forces to hire and retain officers will continue to be a problem.

Being served by a larger force would have several advantages, the town managers point out: It would offer more opportunity for career advancement, more variety of experience in law enforcement, more emphasis on professionalism and espirit de corps. Officers would more likely stay longer.

The ability to draw from a larger pool of officers to fill the gaps would make vacancies less daunting.

The town managers also see gains in terms of a broader regional scope for coordinating investigations.

Despite an official push toward regionalism and the economies of scale urged by the governor, bigger is not always better. There is something to be said for town police forces. They can, at their best, offer in-depth knowledge of a situation. They can, at their best, offer continuity and openness. They can, at their best, provide down-home wisdom.

OK, Andy of TV Mayberry comes to mind.

But even Barney Fife eventually left Mayberry for Raleigh. If towns want to contain costs and avoid losing officers to big-city forces, contracting with the county sheriff isn’t a unique idea, but it’s one worth discussing.

We suspect other towns in other Maine counties will be listening.


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