Board questions sheriff coverage data and calls for verification before town meeting outreach

At a May 28 Select Board meeting the board reviewed public-safety data slated for a town-meeting handout and expressed concern about a banner claim that ‘‘sheriff's deputies are on scene first for 70% of calls for service.’’ Several board members said the figure could be misleading without clarification about which calls are ‘‘self-generated’’ versus dispatched and asked staff to verify the categorization with the sheriff’s office before publishing.

A board member asked, "The 70%, was that when we had sheriff's deputies on duty?" and another recommended removing the 70% claim from the handout until the county can confirm the definitions used. John, the town manager, agreed to consult with county dispatch and the sheriff's office and to update the packet. The meeting materials identified the Cumberland County Regional Communication Center as the source for the raw call data.

Why it matters: how call-response numbers are presented can shape public perceptions about coverage and the need for expanded local public-safety services. Board members noted the difference between self-initiated activity (traffic stops, property checks) and calls that require a response and asked staff to show who responded to critical and high-priority calls.

Board direction: staff were asked to obtain agreement from the sheriff's office on how calls are categorized, to remove or amend the 70% banner in materials going to town meeting if the measure cannot be validated, and to produce a breakout showing which critical/high-priority calls were first-responded by contract deputies vs. other agencies. One board member proposed distributing a simplified handout at the upcoming nominating event to provide context to voters.

Next steps: John will reach out to the sheriff’s office to reconcile categories and return with an updated handout for board review at the next packet meeting.