SUMMERDALE – At a special meeting held June 28, Summerdale council voted unanimously to withdraw police services from its police jurisdiction, the one and one half-mile area outside the town’s corporate limits. 

The resolution to withdraw from the jurisdiction which will go in effect July 15 - passed by a 4-0 vote - states that the town has the “legislative discretion to determine the type and level of services the Town will provide in its statutory police jurisdiction.”

The decision hinged on the City of Foley’s withdrawal from its police jurisdiction that was passed by city council in March and will also go in effect on July 15. 

After July 15, Summerdale PD “will not respond to any calls for police assistance in the police jurisdiction of the Town of Summerdale” except to assist other department’s that request assistance, according to the resolution. 

Summerdale and Foley’s jurisdictions adjoin; however with Foley pulling out, Summerdale would have to extend its police patrols further south, mainly along Highway 59 if the town was to maintain its police jurisdiction, according to Summerdale Police Chief Dwain Riebeling.

He said that when Foley’s decision goes into effect, the department would have to cover an additional 6.6 square miles which includes concentrated population zones, about 2,000 residents, and heavy traffic on Highway 59.   

The department currently patrols 36 square miles - the total area of the police jurisdiction and the town’s corporate limits – and Summerdale will also annex nearly 2 square miles.  

Riebeling cited a 2004 Parca Report which recommends that a police department staff on a scale of about 4 officers for every 1,000 residents. 

He said that with the department’s annual budget, he cannot staff the additional manpower needed to adequately provide police protection for the enlarged jurisdiction, due to Foley’s withdrawal and also additional annexations and population growth, while fairly providing service to residents of the town’s corporate limits. 

The department, he said, currently has 6 patrol officers; but, he noted that hiring 5 additional officers will cost about $200,000 a year, excluding patrol cars and equipment, which exceeds their appropriated budget.   

He also noted that the decision to withdraw is to “improve the safety of the town and the safety of the officers.”

Mayor David Wilson said that the revenue collected in the police jurisdiction fails to supplement police services, and that Foley will retain revenues from some businesses within the jurisdiction since the city still provides fire protection and utility services. 

Riebeling said that the Sheriff’s office will provide police services after July 15.