PENOBSCOT COUNTY, Maine — Maine State Police is proposing to cut down on its patrols in rural parts of Penobscot County.
In a statement, state police told NEWS CENTER Maine, "...we have suggested a modest change in the agreement where we switch from covering three patrols each shift to two patrol zones."
If the proposal takes effect, Penobscot County Commissioner Andre Cushing said the county would need to hire three additional deputies to make up for the loss of state police.
“We’re going to have to do that within the reality of our budget and that will be challenging,” Cushing said about possibly having to hire more deputies.
Cushing added that the proposal wouldn't reduce the amount of police coverage across the county.
“It now just depends on whether a blue police car with a trooper or a brown police car with a sheriff deputy is going to show up,” he said.
"The Sheriff’s office understands the state’s position and desire to change their mission and the agreement," Penobscot County Sheriff Troy Morton said in an email to NEWS CENTER Maine. "Unfortunately, we can’t immediately change our coverage without adding additional deputies ... It’s important that the public knows, the sheriff’s office will not allow communities to go without coverage. We look forward to working closely with the state police to develop a long-term plan that meets each agency's mission.
Cushing said Morton is set to have a meeting with Maine State Police Colonel John Cote next week to discuss the proposal.
"For rural Maine, the sheriff's department has always provided a level of service for those towns that couldn't have their own police force," Cushing said. "I think that will continue and the service that we provide will be enhanced and grow over time as the need is there."
According to Cushing, unless another deal is worked out between state police and the Penobscot County Sheriff's Office, the change in coverage will take effect May 1.
This is not the first time a county has been faced with losing state police coverage. It happened to Washington and Hancock counties two years ago.
"It's a shame because this is a very large rural area," Washington County Sheriff Barry Curtis said about losing state police coverage. "We're spread out. We're having problems with some of our PDs. They're slowly coming apart."