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Stonington vote ends patrol contract; Hancock sheriff asks commissioners to defer action on deputy position
Summary
After the town of Stonington voted 27–25 to discontinue its patrol contract with the sheriff's office for fiscal 2026, Hancock County officials asked commissioners to defer deciding how to fund or fill the deputy position so Deputy Fong can complete academy training; commissioners voted to defer action.
A county law-enforcement representative told Hancock County commissioners on March 17 that the town of Stonington voted 27–25 to discontinue its patrol contract with the sheriff's office for fiscal 2026, a contract that historically funded a deputy position assigned to that town.
The sheriff's office representative said the vote leaves the county with an open staffing question and asked the commissioners to defer final action so Deputy Fong can complete academy training and the county can explore options. "They did vote 27 to 25 to discontinue the patrol contract with the sheriff's office for this coming year," the representative said.
Commissioners agreed to defer action and to revisit the matter closer to Deputy Fong’s academy graduation; they also acknowledged the possibility that Stonington might reconsider the vote through petitions or a rehearing. One commissioner noted the close vote and recommended waiting for any potential local challenge before reallocating long-term funding for the position.
The board did not make a permanent staffing decision on March 17; the motion to defer was approved and staff indicated they would return with options and a timeline for further consideration.
