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Thursday, April 10, 2008

Officials: Edgewood's Police Coverage to Change

By Lee Ross
Mountain View Telegraph
    Police coverage in Edgewood is going to change quite a bit, according to law enforcement officials.
    Captain Pete Kassetas, of the New Mexico State Police, took the podium at the April 2 meeting of the Edgewood Town Council. He addressed the council and audience, which nearly filled the Edgewood Community Center to explain how police coverage will soon change in Edgewood.
    The state police are currently providing police coverage for Edgewood under a joint powers agreement. That means that when the agreement expires, the State Police will change their focus, he said.
    "We've made you (Edgewood) a priority," he said. "When July 1 rolls around ... calls for service will be affected."
    Life-threatening or property crimes will continue to be priority calls in Edgewood and the East Mountains, but the response time for other calls will likely be affected, he said.
    Kassetas' district,— which extends south of Belen and to the north near Algodones, west to about Laguna and east past Clines Corners— is feeling a pinch, he said. There are about 10 vacancies, but Kassetas said he hasn't lost any officers in what he calls the East Mountain patrol, which is based in Edgewood.
    "We're all very appreciative of the work you all do," Edgewood Mayor Robert Stearley said.
    Following Kassetas was Edgewood Police Chief Paul Welch, who is looking to have Edgewood's first police force on the street as soon as he can.
    He urged the council to adopt Municipal Law Enforcement Plan 3 of the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA). The plan features a 20-year retirement, which Welch said will make Edgewood more competitive in hiring more experienced officers.
    Welch said attracting more experienced officers is especially important in Edgewood because he is starting from nothing.
    Edgewood Councilor Glenn Felton pointed out that the adoption of a retirement plan was originally scheduled to be completed by now. Felton headed the Edgewood Public Safety Committee, which did some preliminary work in the creation of Edgewood's police department several months ago.
    Interviews for about nine candidates for police officers— many of them local— begin this week, Welch said. He said he also expects a few police cars.
    Meanwhile, several important elements of a functional police department, such as dispatch and a policy manual, are still not in place.
    Welch is working on the policy manual and has been working with dispatchers for Santa Fe County.
    "I try and remain optimistic," he said, referring to dispatch.
    He said that dispatch may go through New Mexico State Police or Torrance County if an arrangement with Santa Fe County can't be reached.
    Welch is also looking into a federal grant for bullet-proof vests, which would pay for half the cost.
    "I'm very confident that we will get that (grant)," he said. "I fully intend of purchasing (a vest) for every officer."
    Even with the grant, the vests don't come cheep. Outfitting the officers may cost $7,000 to $8,000 dollars, Welch said, but it is a necessary expense.
    "There's nothing I love better than going out ... and busting some dirt ball," he said. "I won't do it without a bulletproof vest."