Pat Whitten
From: James G. Miller [xxxx@highlandswireless.net]
Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 9:06 AM
To: Pat Whitten
Subject: Cordevista Document w/ additions
Storey County and the Sheriff's Office
are currently faced with tremendous growth issues not only with the development
proposed by Cortevista but also with all other industrial and residential
projects within the county. It is imperative that we implement appropriate
planning to provide the necessary manpower and to develop the infrastructure
needed to meet the demands of future growth. We need to be proactive in
order to address these requirements appropriately and not simply react
to increased demands. The inevitability of increased law enforcement/emergency
services begins as soon as new developments break ground not two to five
years out when the businesses and residences are completed.
With the current construction in TRI, we are already facing huge increases in demands on our department. Our stats indicate that the number of incidents handled to date this year is already 80% more than the total in all of 2006. Arrests are already over 200% higher, reports 61% higher and even citations 300% higher than the 2006 total. Our manpower levels are stretched to the limit and require significant overtime costs just to meet the current needs. We routinely rely on outside agencies for backup on all serious calls in the northern area of the county. We are in critical need just in the TRI area alone of additional facilities in the form of an emergency services complex and drastically increased manpower, training and equipment.
The entire Highway 80 corridor presents unique law enforcement challenges as it includes two power plants that service all of this area and part of Northern California, the railroad and freeway which are major transportation thoroughfares, two high-pressure natural gas lines, and a jet fuel line that supplies the military in Fallon. All are potential targets which create additional issues.
Our department is already impacted by such significant growth. The Cordevista project will have an even greater effect. Increased growth leads to increased crime, more calls for service, and additional emergency responses, accidents, public service, backup for other county agencies and all other aspects of law enforcement. We will need to build facilities in that area (substation, holding facility, dispatch, animal shelter, courts) and increase personnel with-more shift deputies, administration, detention, investigators, dispatchers, animal control, and supervisors with all the associated expenses including vehicles, training, equipment, salaries, etc. etc. etc.
Finding solutions to the problems caused
by such substantial growth is going to be both challenging and interesting.
It will require a tremendous amount of hard work, long term planning, and
committed teamwork.
6/26/2007