Sussex, state police renew agreement
Three shiny Delaware State Police vehicles were parked outside Sussex County administration building Aug. 21, but they weren't responding to a call. Police were on hand as Sussex officials announced the resumption of terms of a contract paying for four additional state troopers in the county.
The number of additional troopers assigned to the county will increase by 44 to 184 troopers by the spring of 2013 under the revised contract. The troopers will begin training at the Delaware State Police Academy this fall.
An agreement signed in 2007 calls for Sussex County to pay a portion of the salaries of 40 troopers, above the normal complement already assigned to county troops in Lewes, Georgetown and Bridgeville. The original contract called for four additional troopers to be added every year, but county and state officials agreed in 2009 to temporarily delay adding those officers until economic conditions improved.
The current contract of $1.7 million will eventually increase to $2.1 million, according to County Administrator Todd Lawson. The current six-year contract expires next year and the exact terms of the next contract are not known, said county spokesman Chip Guy.
For this fiscal year, Sussex County is budgeted to pay the state $1.7 million for 40 extra troopers; four more troopers will cost an additional $445,000 to cover salaries, benefits, uniforms, equipment and four vehicles, said County Finance Director Susan Webb.
Lawson said the county's share is reduced each year while the state's share of the costs is increased. “Eventually, the total cost share is 50 percent for both the state and county,” he said.
“Our citizens want to feel safe in their communities. They expect that, and they expect government to provide enough police, paramedics and firefighters to keep their families safe,” said County Council President Mike Vincent, R-Seaford. “This renewed commitment today is an investment in public safety, one that strengthens the law-enforcement presence.”
State police perform law enforcement duties in unincorporated parts of Sussex County, while municipal police forces serve within their respective towns. Sussex County does not have a county-wide police force. Establishing such a force would cost approximately $124,500 per officer, versus the $49,000-per-trooper cost the contract allows, based on estimates, Lawson said. “This is the best bang for the taxpayers’ dollars,” Lawson said.
Other costs associated with establishing a county police force would be the purchase of equipment, support staff, office space, insurance and all other costs associated with running a department of the county, Guy said.
County officials thanked Rep. Ruth Briggs King, R-Georgetown, for playing a key role helping to broker the re-instated agreement. As a member of the Delaware General Assembly’s Joint Finance Committee, Briggs King brought the issue to light during this year’s budget negotiations, calling for a re-instatement of the previous cost-share agreement.
“For a number of months now, I have heard personally from constituents about their concerns over the need for a larger police presence in our area,” Briggs King said. “I could not agree more. It was an honor to be part of this process.”
Attending the announcement with members of his staff was Delaware State Police Col. Robert Coupe. “We are honored to resume the contract and we value this partnership, your support and the support of the state legislators,” he told council.
County council approved the amended contract with a 5-0 vote.
