Newcomerstown Residents Misinformed About Sheriff’s Department Role in Potential Police Dissolution
Newcomerstown, OH – A community meeting held on Tuesday to discuss the potential dissolution of the village’s police department left residents with several misconceptions regarding the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office’s ability and willingness to provide law enforcement services. Mayor Pat Cadle’s statements during the forum, subsequently clarified as misunderstandings, fueled concerns about the village’s future security.
Central to the confusion was Cadle’s assertion that sheriff’s deputies lacked the authority to enforce Newcomerstown’s ordinances. Sheriff Orvis Campbell refuted this claim, explaining that while deputies on general patrol might prioritize state laws, deputies specifically assigned to Newcomerstown under a contractual agreement would indeed enforce local ordinances. "If they hired deputies to be Newcomerstown deputies and that’s what the village wanted, they wanted them to cite under village ordinance for all of their traffic [violations], we would do it," Campbell clarified. This is standard practice for contractually provided law enforcement services, ensuring that local regulations are upheld by the designated officers.
Furthermore, Cadle’s presentation of the sheriff’s office’s proposed costing structure sparked further confusion. Attendees were led to believe that the sheriff had offered a fixed price for only two deputies, limiting their options for coverage. Campbell refuted this, stating that he had provided a per-deputy cost, allowing the village to request as many officers as their budget permitted. "I gave him a price of one deputy. I also gave him a price for a sergeant in case they wanted a local supervisor down there. He could have said, ‘Ok. Give me five of those. Give me the total.’ You just multiply by five," explained Campbell. This clarification underscores the flexibility of the sheriff’s office’s potential service provision, adaptable to the village’s specific needs and financial capabilities.
Concerns also arose regarding the availability of deputies for community events and school-related incidents. Cadle’s statements suggested a lack of commitment from the sheriff’s office in these areas. However, Campbell countered this perception, highlighting the sheriff’s office’s regular provision of security for events in other communities and their proactive involvement in school security, even without formal contracts. "We were at Tusky Valley for a month, had people there everyday all day, after events, and we don’t have a contract with them. We just feel like that’s our job," Campbell emphasized. This reinforces the sheriff’s office’s commitment to community safety beyond contractual obligations, extending to proactive engagement in local events and school security.
The miscommunication extended to the portrayal of the sheriff’s office’s response to crisis situations within the school environment. An anecdote was shared about a Newcomerstown police officer effectively handling a student in crisis, seemingly implying that sheriff’s deputies wouldn’t provide similar support. Campbell refuted this, highlighting the extensive training and experience of his deputies in handling such sensitive situations. "So I was highly offended they would suggest we wouldn’t do those, because all the services he was talking about we do every day, we would happily do," he stated. This response emphasizes the sheriff’s office’s capability and readiness to address various situations, including those requiring specialized skills in crisis intervention and de-escalation.
Following these clarifications, Mayor Cadle acknowledged the misunderstandings and apologized to Sheriff Campbell. While the incident highlights the importance of accurate information dissemination, especially in crucial community discussions, it also underlines the sheriff’s office’s willingness to address concerns and ensure a clear understanding of their role in providing public safety services.
The future of Newcomerstown’s police department remains a topic of discussion, but the corrected information emphasizes the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office’s capacity to provide comprehensive law enforcement services, including ordinance enforcement, event security, school support, and crisis intervention, should the village decide to dissolve its local department. The community can now proceed with a more informed understanding of the options available for ensuring continued public safety.