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Explore our coverage of government and politics.

Londonderry Wants Police Presence To Combat Drug Crimes

Howard Weiss-Tisman
/
VPR
The Londonderry Selectboard has accepted the recommendation of an ad hoc committee to hire the state police following a growing concern about drug crimes in the region.

The Londonderry Selectboard will ask voters to consider supporting a heightened police presence in town.

Following a growing concern about drug activity in Londonderry the board asked an ad hoc committee this summer to investigate the possibility of contracting with a local law enforcement agency.

Committee Chairman Peter Pagnucco said the group is recommending that Londonderry sign a one-year, $86,000 contract with the state police to provide 25 hours of patrol service each week.

"We've tried to balance a lot of interests, important interests, and several important ones that are on folk's minds in town," Pagnucco said. "They want a prompt and effective response  to what's  been going on with the criminal activity in Londonderry for some time now."

The selectboard accepted thecommittee's report at a meeting on Nov. 2 and will now ask the voters in Londonderry to support the recommendation.

In August, four people, including two Londonderry residents, were stopped in nearby Peru with 480 bags of heroin, and last month police arrested a man with 88 pounds of heroin in Manchester.

The decision to set up an ad hoc committee to look into boosting law enforcement in Londonderry followed a meeting in May which was called to address a series of arsons that have been going on for more than 10 years.

More than 200 people showed up to that meeting and the discussion quickly changed from the arsons to the growing drug activity in the region.

Along with the drug busts, Londonderry has seen a steep rise in burglaries of home and business.

The town office, Flood Brook Union School and the highway garage have all been broken into over the past few months.

"I have talked to a large number of people in town, and the concern of some kind of organized response is widespread. People who never locked their doors, now lock their doors. There is a perception, it may be real, it may be a perception, that we have increased lawlessness in town." - Dick Dale, Londonderry resident

The nine-member committee considered using town constables or setting up its own police department.

They also met with the Windham County Sheriff's Department, the Winhall Police Department, along with the state police.

Pagnucco said the board unanimously supported the state police plan after weighing Londonderry's growing need for a police presence with the town's ability to pay for the service.

The Selectboard considered waiting until town meeting to seek approval, but a very vocal crowd encouraged the board to hold a special meeting next month to start the police service as soon as possible.

Londonderry resident Dick Dale said the town was on edge and he asked the board members if they would seek approval for the police protection before Town Meeting.

"I have talked to a large number of people in town, and the concern of some kind of organized response is widespread," he said. "People who never locked their doors, now lock their doors. There is a perception, it may be real, it may be a perception, that we have increased lawlessness in town."

Selectboard Chairman Jim Ameden said he did not want to roll the new expense into the proposed FY 2017 budget without first asking voters if they would support the police patrol.

But Selectboard member Steve Prouty said he was uneasy with scheduling a special meeting in December, which might have a smaller turnout than Town Meeting, to vote on such an important issue.

Ameden said the board would not put the issue on to the back burner, and promised to make a decision about holding a special meeting at an upcoming Selectboard meeting.

Howard Weiss-Tisman is Vermont Public’s southern Vermont reporter, but sometimes the story takes him to other parts of the state.
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