Editor’s Note: In the following e-mail exchange, an editorial was repeated several times. In the interest of everyone’s time and in hopes of making this easier to sift through, I’ve deleted the redundant copies of the editorial and left one entire copy of it at the end of the exchange. I’ve also removed the repeated “original messages” in hopes of simplifying the flow of the exchanges. Thank you.

----- Original Message -----

From: Richard Suscha [mailto:lakeviewmansion@hotmail.com]

Sent: Monday, August 29, 2005 2:17 PM

To: Jim J. Graf

Subject: police merge with sheriff department

Jim,

Perhaps Carter sent the article below to you as well. Should we save the taxpayers $17 million and contract with the county for our police services? Do you think this would work in Sheboygan?

Renee

From: Jim J. Graf

Sent: Monday, August 29, 2005 2:27 PM

To: Richard Suscha

Subject: RE:police merge with sheriff department

Great minds must think alike. I was thinking the same thing myself. I believe that a resolution to explore the possibility of this merger would be appropriate. Jim G

----- Original Message -----

From: Jim J. Graf [mailto:GRAFJJG@co.sheboygan.wi.us]

Sent: Monday, August 29, 2005 4:33 PM

To: Perez, Mayor

Subject: FW: police merge with sheriff department

Mayor Perez, I received this from Renee and Jim Bohren. He would like to know if you would appoint a committee to see if this could happen in Sheboygan. I told him that I would be presenting this to Council and from there, there could be a committee appointed or turned over to PP&S or Shared Services, for their review and input. Jim is sending me a copy of the article in the Milwaukee Journal and I will forward it to you and present it to Council for the meeting on Sept 6. Jim G

From: Jim J. Graf

Sent: Wednesday. August 31, 2005 1:16 PM

To: 'Perez, Mayor

Subject: RE: police merge with sheriff department

I did submit it to Sue to include in the agenda for 9/6/05. I sent the Journal Sentinel article that Jim Bohren sent to me to be referred to PP&S. It could be pulled if you did not want it going to Council at this time. Jim G

From: Jim J. Graf

Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 1:59 PM

To: * 'Perez, Mayor¹

Subject: RE: police merge with sheriff department

Question, were you being held at gun point between 1:50 and 2:00 today on the radio? Jim G

----- Original Message -----

From: Perez, Mayor [mailto:Mayor@ci.sheboygan.wi.us]

Posted At: Wednesday, August 31, 2005

1:02 PM Posted To: CS -Archive

Conversation: police merge with sheriff department

Subject: RE: police merge with sheriff department

Hello Alderman Graf: Somehow I missed responding to your email. Did you submit it already?

>Editorial : New law lets metro police force dance an overdue debut

>

>There's a not-too-distant day when the metro Winnebago County police

>force protects all citizens, regardless of whether they live in or

>outside its major cities.

>

>A law signed by Gov. Jim Doyle has opened the way for this to happen.

>Cities

>and villages of more than 5,000 people can contract for police services

>with their county sheriff's department. The cost savings and timing of

>levy tax limits on local governments make this a well-timed idea worth

>trying.

>

>Years ago, independent studies by the Kettl Commission and other

>committees have said Wisconsin government needs to get up to date. One

>of the best ways mentioned almost routinely was to merge city police

>and county sheriff's departments. While this law doesn't actually merge

departments, it makes it possible for the county force to cover cities.

>

>Cities and counties both gain a lot from the decision to create a metro

>department. For cities, public safety becomes a contracted service

>rather than individual line items for labor, health insurance,

>pensions, banked sick and vacation days, equipment and so on.

>

>County sheriff's departments gain an influence of higher numbers.

>They'll present a larger bloc for negotiating lower drug and health

>care provider costs .

>

>Some things won't change. We'll probably need close to the same number

>of police officers for the city and county as we do now.

>

>But the savings on our tax bills will show in one major area: having

>one office for the various functions of law enforcement rather than two

>now.

>Detectives,

>patrol, booking, evidence collection, accounting and maintenance all

>will work as one office, not two as they do between cities and counties

>now. >

>In fact, one of the largest labor cost savings for taxpayers will be in

>having one administration to oversee law enforcement and not two. This

>administrative savings often is a main reason that companies merge or

>downsize. That potential savings alone makes it smart sense for cities

>like Oshkosh and Neenah to contract for protection with the Winnebago

>County Sheriff's Department.

>Menasha

>may need special intervention; its boundaries cross three counties.

>

>The Oshkosh Common Council shouldn't waste time locally to investigate

>this option. Turn up the volume on this discussion. Examine and

>publicize the potential savings to the city for contracting with the county.

> ' :

>Winnebago County is ready for one law enforcement force. Sheriff

>Michael Brooks has been talking for years about merging detective

departments between city and county. This new law makes possible an

>efficient form of government whose time has more than come.

>

>The Final Thought: Cities and villages of Wisconsin should seriously

>consider contracting their police services to county governments.

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