Amador County – The Ione City Council last Tuesday discussed a request by staff to get an estimate from the Amador County Sheriff’s Office for policing the city, then looked at an extensive scope of services prepared by staff.
The Council looked at a request for Amador County Sheriff Martin Ryan to give the city an estimate of the cost to provide law enforcement services in Ione. City Manager Kim Kerr provided a letter that she sent to the Sheriff making the request. Kerr said Undersheriff Jim Wegner “notified staff that it will be a few weeks before they are able to issue a proposal due to workload issues at the Amador County Sheriff’s Office.”
Kerr said “Wegner also indicated there would be no bill for the preparation of the proposal.” She said “there is no direct cost to the city from the Sheriff’s Office,” but “both the Sheriff’s Office and the city will incur costs for preparing the proposal and reviewing the Sheriff’s proposal.”
Kerr said Ione Police Chief Michael L. Johnson helped draft the scope of service, and she sent the letter March 25th. She said it took time to make sure all of the needs were covered.
The letter sought an estimate for the minimum of one patrol officer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and included covering sick days. Councilman Ron Smylie said he liked the areas Kerr “zoned in on,” and the description was “very complete.” Mayor David Plank said “it looks very well done.”
Kerr said she had heard back from Undersheriff Wegner, who said he would be preparing the proposal.
The letter, in part, said the city was seeking the provision of “complete Police Department services” and “not as a Sheriff’s Office beat.” It would be staffed with a Lieutenant or higher officer that was “mutually agreeable” to the city for “this management assignment. In the event of a vacancy, the Sheriff will provide a list of eligible candidates to the City Manager who will fill the position.”
The letter noted that the Sheriff’s office would enforce state statutes and “such municipal police ordinances” as are the “same type or nature as ordinances of the county, which the sheriff’s office enforces in the unincorporated territory of the county.” It also sought information on whether animal control services could be included, or if they would need to be separately contracted.
Kerr said duties of traffic control for Ione Elementary and Junior High schools are handled by the city, and it would need to be decided whether to include that in the contract. She said options may include a substation in the city, and she would like to see if the contracting could incorporate the city’s own equipment and personnel.
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
