Sheriff Slaughter Warns of Cost for Montana Town’s New Police Plan

The town of Cascade has decided to move forward with their plans of starting their own municipal police department and on paper that sounds like a great idea, right? Shoot, wait until you see how much it costs to start a department toward the end of this article.

That said, the move comes after Cascade decided it could not afford the $93,000 annual contract for law enforcement services from Cascade County. Now, Cascade County Sheriff Slaughter is addressing their decision with thought-provoking questions that seem sensible enough to ask.

Cascade Police Department Services

Right off the bat, I have to share what I really appreciate about the statement from Cascade County Sheriff Slaughter and that, in my opinion, is important to know before you hear his message.

"My purpose in sharing this information is not to persuade the community one way or the other," Sheriff Slaugher said, "I do not live within the Town of Cascade, and this decision will not affect my property taxes."

ALSO READ: Montana Senator Fights Back Against Surveillance Tech, But Is It Enough?

"It will, however, affect the taxpayers who live within the town limits."

And he's not wrong.

What It Takes To Run a Police Department

Sheriff Slaughter includes brings up several points that should have taxpayers wondering: "If $93,000 is too much... how much will all of this cost me?"

Some of Sheriff Slaughter's points include the costs associated with providing law enforcement 365 days a year, 24/7; cost of providing annual salary and benefits to employees, a place to store evidence, managing records, communication infrastructure like radios, etc.

Get our free mobile app

It all makes sense and if we're being logical, not emotional - those are valid points to consider.

Cascade's Contract with Cascade County Sheriff's Office is Flat-Rate

Sheriff Slaughter also used the statement to address the rumor that the $93,000 annual contract cost doesn't include SWAT, detectives, search and rescue, etc... and that those services are billed on top of that $93,000.

Not true.

"Under a law enforcement contract with Cascade County, the agreed-upon annual contract amount is a flat rate," Sheriff Slaughter says, "If the contract is in good standing, that fee includes all Sheriff’s Office services."

"Whether the town requires patrol deputies, Detectives, the SWAT Team, Search and Rescue, K-9 resources, or any other Sheriff’s Office support, those services are included under the contract at no additional cost."

What if the New Cascade Police Department Needs Search & Rescue, SWAT, etc.?

If a municipal has their own police department but needs those aforementioned services because they don't have them, House Bill 333 authorizes Cascade County to bill for those services.

"The citizens of Cascade deserve complete and transparent information before making such an important decision," Sheriff Slaughter says, "They should understand both the benefits and the long-term financial obligations associated with creating and operating a municipal police department."

SEE MORE: Great Falls Fire Rescue Saves Neighboring Home During Massive Blaze

"The current Sheriff’s Office contract provides comprehensive law enforcement services for $93,000 per year at a single, predictable annual cost."

A public meeting on the issue has been set for August 13th.

How Much Does It Cost To Establish A Small Police Department?

To find the cost of what it takes to start a small police department, I searched information from Urban Institute, research from the 'Police Cost to Benefit Analysis' from the Department of Community & Economic Development in Pennsylvania, and the 'What Policing Costs' research from the Vera Institute.

Using the low-end numbers: salaries, health insurance, worker's comp, pension/retirement, contributions, and overtime can cost around $100,000 annually per officer.

Once you start to go down the list, the price adds up. Take vehicles for example, you've got maintenance, fleet auto insurance, fuel, and then the actual vehicles themselves which we priced, again on the low-end, at around $45,000 annually.

We haven't even touched on costs associated with dispatch, equipment and tech, facilities, risk-management, etc.

Shoot, the ranges in start-up costs I've found range between $480,000 and $1,080,000.

But I encourage you to crunch the numbers and see if you can get that number below the all-inclusive $93,000 price tag. If you can, maybe send that over to the folks in Cascade.

You can Sheriff Slaughter's full statement HERE.