SNOW HILL, N.C.- One town in the east is breaking away from county law enforcement to form its own police department. Since the late 1980’s the town of Snow Hill has paid the Greene County Sheriff's Office to patrol its streets. Town commissioners are now looking for a new police chief to start a separate agency. The move won't save the town any money- in fact it could cost even more.
Melissa Lopergolo says when someone tries breaking into your business, it's personal.
"Angry is how you feel,” she said. “How dare they.”
Ever since Greene County Sheriff's deputies caught who was responsible, they've been keeping it personal too.
"They have people that come around every night to check the front and back doors,” said Lopergolo.
Town Administrator Dana Hill says snow hill has been paying the sheriff's office $175,000 a year for service and the town is in good hands. But commissioners are forming a new police department anyway. "It won't be any cheaper but I think that we can provide a more customized, enhanced service for the same amount of money,” said Hill.
Sheriff Lemmie Smith says it's all about one thing. "For control,” he said. “To be in more control of it."
"I think it's more about accountability than control,” said Hill.
Officers will be able to enforce town ordinances like fining residents for failing to cut their grass- something Sheriff Smith refused to do. "I'm a sheriff,” said Smith. “I don't enforce- I'm out here looking for criminal activity. My main purpose is keeping the town of snow hill safe from criminal activity."
“Is this about making money?” asked Nine on Your Side’s Andrea Blanford. "No, no, I don't think we go into it expecting to make any money, no,” said Hill.
Hill says no one has come out to oppose the addition, but some citizens are just finding out about the change.
"Nobody's going to take the place of what is already here,” said Lopergolo. “The deputies, the sheriff, the people that are working there, the dispatchers, we're all a net community."
Town administrators still don't know how much they'll spend on start-up costs for the police department. They're planning to rent out a building to set up headquarters and they're taking applications for chief. The town plans to have someone in place by November 1ST.
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