HOULTON, Maine — The Town Council’s request for a cost analysis from the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office about the possibility of assuming police duties in the community has been denied.
Houlton Town Councilors learned Monday, June 12, that the sheriff would not be submitting any cost estimates or information about how deputies might provide local police coverage.
“This request asks me to look at a number of town functions that I am simply not willing to consider,” Sheriff Darrell Crandall wrote in an email to Town Manager Butch Asselin.
The sheriff added that he was declining to provide a thorough cost analysis because of the vast amount of time it would take to compile such data. Crandall did not attend Monday’s council meeting.
“If the town of Houlton was in real need of public safety services they did not have and the council came to the County looking for assistance, I would take that request very seriously and would promptly engage the commissioners to work with the council to come up with a plan,” Crandall stated in the email
At a May 8 council meeting, the board discussed whether it would be more economically viable to eliminate the Houlton Police Department and have the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office take over policing duties.
That discussion prompted a full house at a May 22 council meeting as numerous members of the public urged councilors to reconsider their plan and expressed full support for the Houlton Police Department.
Council chairman Bill McCluskey first approached the sheriff, with the blessing of the town council, to see how much it would cost for the sheriff’s office to provide police coverage in Houlton.
In his email, Crandall stated that the only way his office would even consider looking at police functions in Houlton was if the town provided all of the additional vehicles, continued maintenance on those vehicles, and provided computers, phones and tech support for the additional deputies that would need to be hired.
The sheriff also stated that any additional deputies that were needed would be selected by him, without input from the town council, and that there would be no guarantee that any existing police officers would be retained.
The email also stated that all duties of the local animal control officer and administrative support for ambulance billing, which is currently done by the Houlton Police Department’s administrative assistant, would not be included in any deal with the County.
“I will once again make clear my informed opinion that based upon the town’s population and documented calls for service, the retention of a municipal police force is warranted and advisable,” the sheriff wrote.
Asselin stated at the meeting that he appreciated the thoughtful response from the sheriff. No action was taken by the council.
