Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly gave a report on the county crime level and requested funding and permission for two initiatives at yesterday's county commissioners meeting.
Kelly said if felonies keep occurring at the rate they are, his office could conduct more than 200 felony investigations this year. Last week alone there were two homicides, a drive-by shooting, a rape and multiple drug arrests. The current felony rate has risen almost 200 percent from last year, he added.
Kelly blamed the poor economy for the increased crime level. He also said gang violence has grown and that some groups, such as the MS-13 gang - which knowgangs.com calls, one of the most violent gangs in America - have moved as far south as Logan from Columbus.
To deal with these developments, Kelly requested the commissioners' permission to apply for a federal grant that is part of the federal stimulus package.
The grant, called the COPS Hiring Recovery Program, provides total funding for full-time sworn officer positions for three years. Grantees must then retain the positions for at least one additional year.
Kelly said he would request federal funding for three deputies. The commissioners expressed support for the grant, but requested a week to review the application.
It's three officers at 100 percent
Kelly said. I don't know how anyone could say no.
Kelly also asked the county to purchase five new Crown Victoria cruisers for 2009. The request came after Kelly's claim that many of his agency's cruisers are in poor condition, using high mileage as proof.
The agency currently has 23 police cruisers and one transport van. Of the 23 cruisers, nine have more than 100,000 miles, six more than 120,000 miles and one more than 220,000 miles. Kelly said he has also asked the university to donate a van for transporting prisoners.
Kelly said it has been risky waiting so long before purchasing new cruisers because most other police agencies ordered their cruisers in the fall. He added, It is no longer 'we should do this ' it's 'we must do this.' I will be back in October or November so that we won't be behind. Somewhere along the line we have to address the problems of the past.
After discussion, the commissioners decided to purchase two cruisers and did not rule out purchasing more in the near future. Commissioner Mark Sullivan suggested requesting more cruisers as part of the federal grant application, but Kelly said doing so would hurt the agency's chances of receiving the grant.
Kelly thanked the commissioners for the two cruisers, but added, I will protect this county with the number of people I have
but some of them may be walking to do so.
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Dan Quarfoot
