Returning police

Cook is contemplating restoring a local police force, following the lead by other cities that cut their police but revived them after increases in Local Government Aid.

But before the city commits to a decision, it needs more information.

First, increases in LGA were not uniform across the region and the impact on each city’s budget will differ. Cook, which has seen more modest LGA increases than some other area cities, probably can’t rely on those funding increases alone to cover the costs of police protection. Cook currently spends nothing on law enforcement, which means any decision to reinstate police protection will have a significant budget impact.

So city officials need to know how much the added service might cost and whether it’s a high enough priority with city residents. Would citizens of Cook be willing to pay an increase in city taxes if needed to add a local police force? The city also needs to explore what other revenue — such as renewable grants — could be tapped for a police force.

In addition, the risks of not having a police force have to be evaluated. At the council meeting last week, Nancy Reing said there have been instances where the Cook Ambulance Service has been summoned to a domestic incident, but had to wait for the arrival of sheriff’s deputies. It’s hard to fault the sheriff’s office, which has an enormous region to cover. But it demonstrates how the lack of a local police presence can endanger lives in situations where seconds can matter.

In addition, having local police to respond to emergencies could have an impact on economic development, where businesses look for such features such as public safety and police protection, in making decisions on where to locate.

One possible solution the city could explore would be to partner with another community, such as Tower has done with Breitung Township. Indeed, pooling resources between Breitung, Tower and Cook could result in the formation of a regional police force that would benefit all of the parties. A regional police department would keep costs more affordable and create a police force large enough to attract a strong field of professional and experienced officers.

It’s an option worth exploring, especially in light of Cook’s revisiting the possibility of bringing back a local police force.

Most importantly, it might make a life-or-death difference by having a police presence in local communities. And a local officer is more likely to gain the confidence of the citizens and have a better understanding of the community and able to head off more potential problems before they develop into emergencies.

We would encourage local officials to look into the option of a regional police force. There might even be some funds — such as grants — available for the creation of such an option.

Public safety is a critical component of any community’s services and having the law enforcement necessary to ensure the protection of citizens and property should be a part of the discussion.