Pulaski set to take over law enforcement duties in Hawkinsville

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office will soon take over law enforcement responsibilities for the city of Hawkinsville.

The merger is scheduled to go into effect July 1 after officials sign an agreement Monday evening. Jerry Murkerson, Hawkinsville’s city manager, said the merger was a mutual decision.

“We think it will be more efficient law enforcement for our community from an economic standpoint and, of course, from a customer service standpoint,” he said.

Murkerson said officials had made no hard projections on how much money the merger might save.

“We just think that it will be more efficient,” he said. “In the first couple of years it might not be, due to transition costs. But if it’s a more efficient system, it will cost the taxpayer less dollars.”

The merger contract states that the city will pay the county $43,333 each month, beginning July 10, with adjustments each year. According to the city’s most recent annual financial statement, the city spent an average of $50,387 each month on law enforcement. The city or the county can opt out of the contract with 90 days’ written notice.

Sam Tripp, the Hawkinsville police chief, is set to retire at the end of the month after 25 years on the force. The agreement says that Pulaski County will retain the six full-time Hawkinsville police officers for at least a six-month period.

“They’ll be keeping all the full-time officers here,” Tripp said. “We’ve got some part-time officers, and I think some of them are going to apply for full time, but I’m not real sure about that.”

Pulaski County Sheriff Billy Cape said he planned to hire two more officers for city police work and two more for the county.

“I’m going to do the best I can to supervise these two teams,” he said. “We’re looking at as good or better law enforcement.”

Murkerson said the city has plans to merge city and county fire operations as well, in time. Leslie Sewell, fire chief in Hawkinsville, said doing so would not be difficult.

“We already do everything together, and I’m the chief of the city and the county fire department,” he said. “The fact that we train together, and I have a lot of the same people on the teams, I think would make it relatively easy.”

Hawkinsville would be the latest city in Georgia to combine city and county law enforcement. Savannah and Chatham County law enforcement merged in 2003, for example.

Murkerson said cities and counties that have combined law enforcement have been successful.

Murkerson said there were some early community objections to the merger related to concerns about the quality of service. He said he believes the merger will be successful, however.

“I think eventually it will be enhanced service,” he said. “We just think it’s the most efficient system for our small community.”

To contact writer Tiffany Stevens, call 744-4213.