The Village of Owensville has proposed annexing part of Stonelick Township. As Sheriff, I feel the need to point out how police service to the citizens and the schools in the proposed annexation area will be affected if this annexation to the Village of Owensville occurs.

Presently, the Sheriff is responsible for all calls for service in the affected area. The Clermont County Sheriff’s Office has 82 full-time deputies, an investigation division staffed with 8 full-time highly experienced detectives, 4 K-9 units, a traffic safety unit, a crime lab/crime scene technician, and deputies with specialized school safety training. The Sheriff administers the county’s multi-jurisdictional Special Response Team (our version of SWAT), the Clermont County Narcotics Unit, and is a participant in Task Force One (TF-1) which is a Special Operations Team that provides regional response for Underwater Search, Rescue, Recovery, and Tactical Emergency Medical Support for Southwest Ohio. The office has deputies who are trained in the number one school incident response program, A.L.I.C.E. These deputies train other departments regarding responding to school-based incidents.

If this annexation is approved, individuals residing in the annexed area will begin to pay taxes to the village of Owensville. The Village Police Department will be responsible for responding to and investigating crimes, including those crimes that occur in the schools. Even with the increase in tax revenue, which will be apportioned to operate the Village police department, the police department still will not be able to provide the level of service that the Sheriff’s Office provides. Essentially, residents will pay more for less.

I understand that police service is not the sole issue at hand when considering annexation.

However, this issue has caused me deep concern. As your Sheriff, I feel I am compelled to share this concern with you.

For more detailed information about the services the Sheriff provides, please visit http://www.clermontsheriff.org/press-releases/.

Robert S. Leahy, Sheriff