Saturday, June 21, 2008

Bosque Farms OKs policing agreement with Peralta

Clara Garcia News-Bulletin Staff Writer; cgarcia@news-bulletin.com

Bosque Farms Beginning July 1, Bosque Farms Police will be making their presence known in the Town of Peralta.

The Bosque Farms Village Council unanimously approved a joint powers agreement Thursday allowing their police officers to patrol and respond to calls in Peralta. In exchange for police presence in Peralta, the town will pay the village $85,000 per year and the village will add one officer to its roster.

Before the council approved entering into the agreement with the Town of Peralta, Councilor Virgil Proctor said while he hopes the arrangement will work out for both municipalities, he doesn't see how it could.

"This one is a really difficult one for me," Proctor said of the agreement. "I think it's going to be very difficult for our police department starting off with some unstable ground."

Proctor said he has spoken to several residents, both in Peralta and in Bosque Farms, who have told him that they have reservations about the idea.

"Personally, I can't see how it will work satisfactory for both sides," he said. "On the other hand, as a whole community, I think we have to try it. But we're going to have to be very honest with each other because most of the Peralta people who I've talked to were very honest with me about how they felt. I don't know how this is going to work, and personally, I don't think it will."

Proctor did say that the Village of Bosque Farms and the Town of Peralta have to continue to communicate with each other to make sure that issues are resolved in a timely manner.

The councilor told several police officers who were present at Thursday's meeting that it's going to be a "tough job" and that the only reason he is in favor of the joint powers agreement was because of Chief Joe Stidham and Capt. Greg Jones said it could work.

Councilor Bob Knowlton said that he was very encouraged by the joint workshop that the two councils held earlier this month when they discussed the issue. He said everyone was candid, and he commended everyone for expressing their concerns and sharing ideas.

"I think there was a very strong sentiment (at the workshop) in that we definitely need to keep the communication channels open between both governing bodies to make sure that it's working," Knowlton said.

Councilor Dolly Wallace said she attended the Peralta Council meeting last week when it approved the joint powers agreement. She said there were many people who didn't want Bosque Farms police in the town, but that there were more who did.

"The overall feeling I got was that Peralta does not expect the same coverage that we get here in Bosque Farms," Wallace said. "Peralta expects us to be there for emergencies, for someone who calls 911, for someone whose home has been broken into. The sheriff's department can't get there within a timely fashion, and Bosque Farms (police) can get there very quickly."

She also said Bosque Farms police don't show partiality when it comes to handing out traffic tickets. She said the majority of the people of Peralta want that, and they're ready for that type of law enforcement presence.

"I'm really looking forward to this, and I'm trusting our chief to put us in the right place and do the right thing and, over the years, he's never let us down," Wallace said. "I am going to put all my faith in him, and I think this will be an outstanding joint venture that a lot of other counties and municipalities can look at and do the same thing."

Peralta Mayor Bryan Olguin told the council Thursday that he believes the joint venture will work for both municipalities. He said most people in Peralta who objected about having Bosque Farms police in the town were concerned with the department's aggressive traffic enforcement.

"If you speed, you get a ticket," Olguin said. "There was no concern about emergency services — everyone wants that from Bosque Farms. The only complaint that we heard from the people was (they're) tough on tickets. Well, too bad. If you get a ticket, you pay the ticket and learn to slow down."

Olguin said he's really looking forward to Bosque Farms providing law enforcement services to the town and that Peralta does have a traffic problem. He assured the council that there would be open communication between the two municipalities on this issue and others in the future.

Bosque Farms Mayor Wayne Ake said he too is looking forward to working with Peralta and that he wanted to assure village residents that services in Bosque Farms will not suffer as a result of the new agreement.

"If it suffers and we can't do it, then we will have to call it off," Ake said. "But I have every faith and confidence in the chief and captain and their officers that they can do it. We're going to back them 100 percent. Hopefully, next year, if this is successful, and if their (Peralta) finances are in better condition, maybe we can add another officer."

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