Faced with their own financially pinched service levels, top cops in Inyo and Mono Counties seem doubtful that they can help Mammoth Lakes much with its manpower shortage in the police department.
Mammoth Police Chief Dan Watson and Lieutenant John Mair recently met with Bishop Police Chief Chris Carter and Undersheriffs Keith Hardcastle of Inyo and Ralph Obenberger of Mono to talk about possible help. Chief Watson said they asked the officials about “hiring their personnel to fill regular shifts in Mammoth when the police department can’t because of shortages.”
Chief Carter said that the chiefs and undersheriffs discussed if Mammoth Lakes Police could supplement their ranks by using officers from other departments and reimburse for overtime pay, workers compensation and other costs. Chief Carter said, “Every agency is short on personnel. I’m down two officers even with two new ones coming on board. Other agencies expressed the same thing,” he said. Ironically, former Mammoth Police Officer Ron Gladding, who just left the Mammoth PD, went to work for the Bishop Police Department December 1st.
Inyo Sheriff Bill Lutze said his Undersheriff Keith Hardcastle attended the meeting with Chief Watson. Lutze said, “We listened to his request. I sent him cost figures for off-duty personnel who would volunteer. But at this time,” said Sheriff Lutze, “it is doubtful we could supply the number of personnel they need. Our priority is Inyo County.”
Lutze said that on average it would cost $70 an hour including travel time for one of his officers to work overtime in Mammoth. He said the cost would also include 65 cents per mile, a per diem for food and lodging, and administrative fees. When officers would have to testify in criminal cases, that would cost more overtime for the officer testifying and overtime for someone to fill in for that officer.
Undersheriff Obenberger said, “Speaking for the Mono County Sheriff’s Office, but similar to Bishop PD and Inyo Sheriff, we are currently shorthanded regarding our staffing. We are down 3-4 deputies, with 1 of our deputies still in training with a training officer. With that said, we currently have a difficult time filling our own shifts with our personnel.
“I told Chief Watson” said Obenberger, “that currently we do not have the manpower levels to assist MLPD with coverage relating to their daily shifts. We will however continue to assist with special events as we have in the past, such as the Night of Lights or New Years Eve, and as always will respond immediately to assist their agency anytime there is an emergency situation occurring or if they ask for mutual aid for a large scale event.” The other law enforcement agencies have also traditionally helped with special events and emergencies.
Mammoth Chief Watson will report his findings to Town officials later this month or next month, according to Administrative Services Director Marianna Marysheva-Martinez.
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South Central L.A. needs more police. Mammoth needs less paranoid tenants.
blah blah blah,quit breaking the law,and we wont have these problems,quit doing drugs and the scumbag dealers will leave…crime will drop,quit serving people after theyre over the limit and duis will drop…domestic violence and brawls will vanish
This whole situation is so infuriating and depressing, it’s hard to move past anger and hopeless feelings. Blaming doesn’t get us anywhere. Giving up won’t work. Pretending that gutting the Police Department will not create liabilities for all of us is short-sighted. How do we move forward?
Maybe all of those sitting at the top of the TOML food chain, including the Clown Towncil, should attend POST training and be required to work one or two police officer shifts a week….at least it will seem like they’re earning their pay.
If we lived in the big fat city I’d be getting another dog or two and another gun.
Since I live in Mammoth, maybe just another dog and more ammo. I may make my firearms faster to access. Who said, “Plan for the worst, hope for the best”?
Better to have one & not need it, than to need one & not have it.
I like your thinking guys! CCW’s for everyone. Or legal exposed carry. Mammoth would be the safest and most polite city in America.
Who cares. Just watch, everything will be fine.
Right Jon. The elderly volunteer program should take up the slack with no problem! Oh, and don’t forget MMM’s crime camera idea, That will work!
Whatever happened to the community helping each other without money getting in the way. I just can’t believe there is nobody willing to donate their time to assist with law enforcement.
Ken .. it is because .. of liability, the key driving factor in everything now days .. Tort liability.
That Ken isn’t me….
…right — everything will be fine — until it isn’t…
Hey Ken… The sky is falling too!!!
So MMM, whats your plan “C” now that you have got rid of most of the Mammoth cops?
Yes, I’d like to know what plan C is as well.
The National Guard? Ninja Turtles perhaps? Batman?
One thing is sure though, if the MLPD officers that are left are forced to work day-in and day-out, they will soon be leaving for other agencies too. Better pin on a badge, Rusty.
When MMM watched the movie “Police Academy, Citizens on Patrol” she thought it was a documentry!