Sheriff road patrols to continue in Jerusalem Twp.

By: 
Kelly J. Kaczala

        Lucas County Sheriff Michael J. Navarre told Jerusalem Township trustees on Tuesday that deputies will continue to provide road patrols into 2023, although not 24/7 as deputies currently do.
        He said there would be a deputy in the township 50 percent of the time without charge.
        It was an improvement over his previous decision to bill the township $750,000 annually to continue road patrols due to Lucas County budget cuts.
        Navarre had sent a letter to the township in December stating patrols would end in the township on Jan. 1, 2023 if trustees did not pay the bill. 
        “You’re here tonight wondering what’s going to happen in 2023,” Navarre said to trustees. “You’re going to have a road patrol. You’re not going to see an improvement in service because your trustees have informed me that a decision has been made. They are not going to contribute any funding for improved service.”
        Oregon supplants service in Jerusalem Township, said Navarre, who was Oregon police chief for nine years before he was elected sheriff last year.
        “Oregon does very well financially because it has two oil refineries and two hospitals. As long as they keep operating, they are not going to have any problems. It has a well-staffed, well equipped, well trained police department. Generally, they will put out four officers plus a supervisor around the clock. They don’t seem to have much of a problem taking care of their business, and helping out Jerusalem Township. I know from my experience in Oregon there were times when there were no sheriff’s deputies out here. I don’t know what they were telling you, but there were a lot of times when there were no sheriff’s deputies out here,” he said.
        Navarre said it is difficult to get patrols out to the township because it’s on the east side of the county. The other townships are grouped together on the west side.
       
Levy
        Springfield Township passed a levy that is expected to collect $3 million annually to fund three sheriff’s deputies 24/7, and Monclova contracts with the sheriff to provide one deputy, he said.
        The call volume is very low for Jerusalem Township, and accounts for one percent of all calls for service. The Lucas County Sheriff has never provided a high level of service as a result, said Navarre.
         By comparison, Springfield Township accounts for over 60 percent of calls, and Monclova accounts for 20 percent of calls.
        “You can understand why they have full service contracts, because they account for 80 percent of all the calls,” he said.
        “I told Springfield in January of 2021 our service was no longer sustainable. I told them this could not continue,” said Navarre, as their calls for service continue to grow every year.
        “Springfield got the message. Had they had not passed a levy, I would not have put out a road patrol. I have no statutory responsibility to do so. I have one statutory responsibility as sheriff, and that’s to provide the operation of a jail, which is what I do,” said Navarre.
        “I’m not here to tell you the world’s going to end,” he said. “Life is going to go on. Most of you are not going to see any difference in police service as long as Oregon continues to bail us out. They’re kind enough to do that. And that’s the way police departments work. If Oregon is in trouble, and they need staffing, Northwood comes over and helps. Oregon pretty much covers Jerusalem Township. I tried to talk Oregon into assuming responsibility for the township, but they have the same problem I have, they want money and it’s just not going to work out. There was also some talk about Ottawa County doing the same thing, but it’s kind of the same situation.”
        After the meeting, Trustee Mark Sattler said he was pleased to hear that road patrols would not end.
        “We’re very grateful to Sheriff Navarre,” said Sattler. “He understands our financial situation, and he is not insisting we purchase coverage from him. He’s going to continue to provide sheriff deputy coverage at 50 percent. We think that’s a wonderful outcome. We’re glad to still have a sheriff presence. Our township doesn’t have the funds to be able to afford a large bill for a contract with the sheriff’s department. So we’re very pleased he’s going to continue to provide law enforcement services to Jerusalem Township.”
        

Category:

The Press

The Press
1550 Woodville Road
Millbury, OH 43447

(419) 836-2221

Email Us

Facebook Twitter

Ohio News Media Association