STRAFFORD, Vt. (WCAX) – Another policing contract in Orange County has been award to the sheriff’s department in neighboring Windsor County. The Windsor County sheriff says his department is making progress when it comes to reforming rural policing. But the Orange County sheriff is also speaking out.
The Windsor County Sheriff’s Department already has contracts to patrol in neighboring towns in Orange County. Now, starting at the beginning of this year, Strafford was added to that list.
Strafford is a quintessential Vermont town, with rolling hills, horse farms and historic churches. But like any town, it also has issues with speeding and criminal activity that’s seeping into the rural landscape.
“We are not actively seeking contracts in Orange County but if we are approached, we will entertain the idea,” Windsor County Sheriff Ryan Palmer said.
The Windsor County Sheriff’s Department is now patrolling 10 hours a week there. It’s a patrolling contract approved by the select board that the Orange County Sheriff’s Department used to have. Town officials say they went with Windsor this year, essentially because it’s much larger with a wider skill set of deputies.
“Since I have taken office, we have taken well over 30 guns off the street from people who shouldn’t have them involved in criminal activity. We have arrested lots of wanted people. We dealt with everything from aggravated assaults to people being hit and killed with a motor vehicle,” Palmer said.
This is the fourth Orange County town to sign on with Windsor County. Brookline, Chelsea and Tunbridge are the other three, each opting for a bigger department which isn’t sitting well with the Orange County sheriff.
“He certainly did trespass into our county and he has been continuing to trespass into our county,” Orange County Sheriff George Contois said.
Windsor also now provides security for the Orange County Courthouse, which the Orange County sheriff says violates state statute.
Reporter Adam Sullivan: It sounds like there is some tension between you and Windsor County?
Orange County Sheriff George Contois: I wouldn’t say it’s tension but it is observation.
Contracts pay the bills for sheriffs’ departments. But, despite losing contracts, Orange County’s sheriff says the budget is doing just fine, thanks in part to a large summer-long rolling roadblock contract on Interstate 91.
“I’d like to get it again next year but I don’t lose any sleep over it,” Contois said.
Meanwhile, the sheriff in Windsor County says his deputies will respond where they are needed.
“I think the culture that we have in this agency is that we work well with everybody,” Palmer said.
The contracts with the towns are typically awarded annually which means both sheriffs will likely have to make their patrolling pitch to the town once again next year.