Norwich Township approves three-year police contract with Hilliard

Norwich Township trustees voted Sept. 22 to accept a three-year contract with the City of Hilliard that will provide round-the-clock police patrols for the township’s unincorporated areas beginning Jan. 1, 2004. The agreement, approved unanimously, commits the township to $265,950 per year for 24-hour coverage through Dec. 31, 2006.

The vote followed months of discussion and comparison of proposals. Trustees had run a month-to-month arrangement with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department earlier in 2003 while evaluating bids and resident feedback. Trustee Buck and others cited concerns that earlier county fees had been “overcharging the Township,” and the board sought alternative options that would guarantee continuous coverage.

At a public question-and-answer session on Nov. 19, residents asked about expected response times and where 911 calls would be routed. Ted Jones, a Sunnybrook Court resident, asked, “what is the anticipated response time?” Chief Rodney Garnett of the Hilliard Police Department told residents that Hilliard planned patrol coverage dedicated to the unincorporated areas and aimed to have cars run through every street and the township within each shift rotation.

Trustee James H. Rice framed the decision as a move toward continuous coverage: “we will have 24 hour coverage with some agency by January 1, 2004, either with Hilliard or Franklin County,” he said during earlier meetings. Trustee Buck urged caution during contract negotiations but supported pursuing alternatives; he had earlier said, “I will not vote for a new contract with the Franklin County sheriff’s department,” reflecting strong trustee scrutiny of county pricing.

Under the township’s procurement process, the clerk will send the required 90‑day termination notice to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department as stipulated in that contract. The township will also work with Hilliard on implementation details and community meetings to explain coverage hours and operational procedures to residents.

The township’s decision shifts the principal provider of additional patrols for the unincorporated area from the county to the city of Hilliard. Franklin County deputies remain the primary county law-enforcement authority and may continue to patrol the area, but the new contract establishes Hilliard as the township’s contracted supplemental coverage provider beginning Jan. 1, 2004.

Trustees said they would continue to monitor the arrangement and keep residents informed through posted meetings and communications.