Letter from Allegany County Board of Commissioners to the Westernport Mayor and Council, dated Dec. 21, outlining the details of the proposed merger of the two police agencies.

WESTERNPORT -- Westernport's Mayor and Board of Commissioners approved two resolutions that support a merger of the town’s police department with the Allegany County Bureau of Police.

If approved by Allegany County government, the merger could go into effect as soon as Jan. 1. But a resolution to approve the merger, and a second one that commits the town of Westernport to partial funding of the partnership through June 30, 2015, both won the support of Mayor Amel Morris and commissioners Darrell Stephen, Dick Legge, Pete Davis and Tuck Martin.

The votes came after 75 minutes of discussion during a public meeting Monday in Westernport. More than two dozen residents attended. Five residents spoke out on the issue and while at least two held reservations about the success of the merger, as billed, no one spoke against the partnership.

The Allegany County Board of Commissioners are to conduct its public meeting at 11 a.m. on Dec. 30 in Westernport. The commissioners could approve a memorandum of understanding during the meeting.

The merger would effectively dissolve the town’s existing police department. The town’s police station would become a precinct of the county police agency and its two officers would be encouraged to apply for a position with the Bureau of Police. Additionally, the town would fund a portion of the cost for a third police officer through June 30, 2012.

Town officials had cited the annual operating budget of its police department — approximately $216,000 — and a high turnover in officers as reasons why the move is a good one.

“Keeping the citizens safe is the biggest priority I have,” Morris said. “This town needs to be run like a business.”

“I can’t find a downside to this,” said Darrell Stephen, the town’s finance commissioner. “We get a massive return for very little money.”

A work group consisting of Westernport counsel Matt Gilmore and Allegany County representatives David Eberly, acting county administrator; Bobby Dick, Bureau of Police chief; and Pam Smith, a certified public accountant within the Department of Finance, met after the county commissioners’ Dec. 10 public work session. At that work session, the county commissioners approved the creation of the work group to study the idea.

The work group concluded that the town should pay Allegany County government $53,000 for the remainder of the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2010, and $116,000 for the period between July 1 and June 30, 2011. Afterward, the check Westernport officials write to Allegany County would gradually descend. Over five and one-half years, the total amount due Allegany County would be $492,000.

The agreement would include the transfer of current vehicle and equipment assets, including firearms, munitions and radios, be turned over to the Bureau of Police.

Legge, the town’s police commissioner, called the development “a very positive step.” The proposal even garnered the support of former police commissioner Tuck Martin, who is now water commissioner.

Martin “wanted to be against it,” he said, but acknowledged the proposal is “hard to turn down.”

Dick, formerly the police chief in Cumberland and the county police chief since July 1, noted the town has hired and trained 15 officers since 2000 who have since moved away from the community for better-paying jobs. Dick said the issue is “a drain on the city’s tax dollars” and said the merger would increase, not decrease, law enforcement presence within the municipal boundaries.

Dick said he was interested in creating neighborhood watch programs to increase public awareness and that the bureau’s assets, including improved technology and access to the resources available to the Allegany County Combined Criminal Investigation — known as C3I — narcotics and investigative divisions would provide quick benefits to the town’s residents.

Walnut Street resident Diana Amann said the town’s police officers should have a visible presence. Dick said he agreed there is a need for additional foot patrols.

“That’s what we really want to see,” Amann said. “Visibility is a big thing.”

“We want a police officer here 24 hours a day,” said town resident Russell “Rusty” Wilson.

Dick called Westernport an “ideal base of operations” and assured those in attendance that no longer would they call for police assistance and have to leave a message. They’d either directly reach the officer on duty or their call would be redirected to the Allegany County Joint Communications Center, which would have immediate access to the police agency.

Many towns across the state are facing similar budget constraints. Eberly, the acting county administrator, confirmed that the town of Lonaconing is interested in funding a partial position in exchange for an increased police presence. It’s possible other towns along Georges Creek and state Route 36 also could agree to help.

Tom Marsh of Stoney Run Road said the idea sounded fine but the town “should have an escape clause” in case the county is unable to fulfill its end of the bargain.

Kevin Spradlin can be reached at kspradlin@times-news.com.