The Porter County Board of Commissioners declined to establish an hourly rate for leasing sheriff’s department squad cars to Lakes of the Four Seasons Tuesday morning, citing concerns the proposed $15 per hour rate is too low.
The Traffic Enforcement on Private Roads Pilot Project, established by Indiana House Bill 1155, allows subdivisions governed by homeowners’ associations dealing with chronic speeding on private roads to hire off-duty police officers to enforce state traffic laws. The pilot is set to begin July 1.
“I know the sheriff and the Lakes of the Four Seasons board and the commissioners have had quite a bit of discussion,” said Porter County Attorney Scott McClure. He added that if the pilot program ends, the leasing resolution would also end.
It would cover gas, insurance and the outfitting of the vehicles. Only Porter County Sheriff’s Department officers would be authorized to operate the cars.
“That doesn’t seem like, with wear and tear,” enough to charge, said Board Vice President Barb Regnitz, R-Center.
“Commissioner Regnitz, I agree,” said Commissioner Jim Biggs, R-North. “I think it’s put the sheriff’s department in an awkward position.”
“I can’t agree with how low it is,” Regnitz added. Biggs asked her to throw out a figure and she said she’d like to see more data.
McClure said the figure had been fully vetted by the auditor’s office and originally was $8 an hour.
“I don’t want you to think that we threw a dart at the wall,” he said. “It feels artificially low, but it also felt artificially low to the person doing the math until they did the math.”
“We don’t do this anywhere else and because it’s traffic enforcement, there’s a very good chance they’ll go to court,” Biggs said of the officers. The proposed use of the squad cars was three days a week for four hours a day.
“I don’t know why Four Seasons would agree to this,” Biggs added. “It’s going to get extremely expensive for the residents.”
During public comment, Porter County Council President Andy Vasquez, R-4th, commended Biggs for rescinding his motion regarding the lease rate. He brought up the necessity of officers having to go to court when tickets are issued. “That takes an officer off the street,” he said.
LOFS security and property owners’ association officials did not return calls for comment.
Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
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