PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — The Scioto County Sheriff’s Office is coming out against a proposal for the city Police Department to take over patrols in the county.
Sheriff David Thoroughman has expressed deep concerns about Portsmouth Police Chief Debby Brewer’s proposal to extend Portsmouth Police Department services to Clay Township.
Throughman highlighted the lack of transparency in the planning process, saying, “I have been working on saving the City, New Boston, and the County money by developing a Centralized Dispatch, while Chief Brewer has been devising this plan with no communication to me.”
Thoroughman criticized the feasibility of the township plan proposed by Brewer stating, “Chief Brewer has advised that she can provide 24/7 coverage to Clay Township by only hiring two patrol officers. Common sense, as well as a simple Google search, tells us that it takes a minimum of five individuals to staff a position 24/7.”
Financially, Thoroughman pointed out the significant costs involved.
“The personnel cost to the City for five officers, which is needed to cover Clay Township 24/7, is $640,796.90 per year. This is $387,207.62 more than what Clay Township would pay the City.” He further expresses that additional expenses like vehicles, fuel, and equipment that would push the total costs even higher, emphasizing the financial strain this would impose on Portsmouth, a city already managing under fiscal watch.
Thoroughman also raised concerns about the impact on local policing within Portsmouth and the impact to city residents.
“I would want to know why I am paying for three officers, and their recurring additional cost, to work outside the City.”
He questioned the logic behind reducing police presence in Portsmouth to service another jurisdiction, especially when areas like Sciotoville already experience times without immediate police coverage.
In his critique, Thoroughman called for community opposition to the plan, warning, “Look past the smoke and mirrors and you will see that what is being presented to you is costly to the citizens of Portsmouth and bad for the citizens of Clay Township.”
Chief Brewer has not released a statement.