Saturday marked the first day of 24-hour policing in the small town of Clio, but while some are happy others have expressed uncertainty over whether the system will work.
Clio Town Council voted on the matter more than two weeks ago after discussing it in an executive session.
The body announced the 24-hour policing would began this month after Clio Police Chief Pearlie Thomas Sr. developed a schedule for the department.
But the scheduling at the four-member department isn’t reliable and it doesn’t take much for it not to work, he said.
“If a guy takes a vacation, the schedule is shot,” he said. “It’s really difficult to do 24 hours a day. Somebody is going to have to fill in, and I can’t make anybody work overtime.”
The work day is divided into 12-hours shifts worked by one officer per shift.
The chief said he’s not against 24-hour policing in Clio, he just doesn’t have the employees to carry out the task. The town applied for the federal Community Oriented Policing (COPS) grant to hire more officers but was denied, Thomas said.
“I don’t know how long it’s going to last,” Thomas said. Then there’s the issue of officer safety while working overnight, he said.
“It’s really dangerous. They are out there alone. (Town residents) aren’t considering any of this,” he said. “It’s going to put the officer in a situation where it’s shoot or be shot.”
Clio Mayor Hamer McCrae said he thought about the 24-hour schedule before making the decision to support the program.
McCrae said he has faith that the program will work. “The residents are very excited about it. It’s going to work out well. You pray about it, and you leave it in the hands of the Lord.”
McCrae said he believes the officer working the overnight shift will be safe.
He’ll have his radio for contact and the Marlboro County Sheriff’s deputies will be around to provide assistance, he said.
Additionally, a Clio Police officer will be on call to assist the officer, McCrae said.
The town is seeking a part-time officer to work 12 to 15 hours a week. Thomas said he’s not sure if that will solve the problem
“That’s like having a big wound and putting just a Band-Aid on it,” Thomas said.
If the officer is hired, Thomas said he plans on pairing that officer with the officer who works overnight, so no one will have to be alone.
In the meanwhile, Thomas said he’s contacted the state law enforcement academy for advice.
“I want to make it perfectly clear — if something happens to one of these guys, it’s not going to be on my head,” Thomas said. “My concern is my men. If one of these guys gets hurt, I’m going to feel real bad.”
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