Jurisdiction agreement: Pandemic’s effect on police ranks discussed

By: 
Larry Limpf

The City of Rossford has agreed to join with five area jurisdictions in an agreement that enhances mutual aid pacts among police departments.
Mark Hummer, Lake Township police chief, hosted a meeting March 19 of chiefs of departments from Lucas and Wood counties to discuss preparations for continuing operations during the coronavirus pandemic – in particular the possibility of personnel shortages.
“We just want to be one step ahead of an issue that none of us want to face, a shortage of our officers due to illness or quarantine,” Hummer said.
At present, Lake Township, Northwood, Perrysburg Township, Walbridge and the Owens Community College police department have what is called a concurrent jurisdiction agreement – an enhancement of mutual aid pacts that allows for departments to have police powers while in the jurisdiction of another member department.
“It expands mutual aid, which is usually for a specific event. This would allow us to assist each other, by request, in the event of a severe manpower shortage by any agency in the agreement,” the chief said.
Chief Hummer said the chiefs at the meeting on the whole expressed support for the agreement but the decision to participate or not lies with the administrations and elected officials of each jurisdiction.
Since the meeting last month, the Rossford Police Department has indicated it intends to participate in the enhanced jurisdiction agreement, he said, and the Maumee Police Department has declined. Officials of the City of Perrysburg, another invitee to the meeting, have not responded.
“I think the group we have is pretty representative of Northern Wood County. I’m pretty confident with it. I just hope we don’t need it,” he said.
As of last week, no officer on the Lake Township department roster has missed work due to the virus. The chief said officers are trying to limit their potential exposure to it “while dealing with whatever we need to do.”
As of April 1, there were 15 reported cases of the coronavirus in Wood County and nine hospitalizations, according to the Wood County Health Department. The age range is 20 to 71 and five males and 10 females were infected. The median age is 55 years old.

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