WASHINGTONVILLE Police hope record and rapport help levy

The continuing levy would give the department nearly $20,000 annually.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
WASHINGTONVILLE -- Village Police Chief J.R. Blakeman and his force of five part-time officers are hoping they have improved the department's image enough for voters to approve a 3-mill levy.
The continuing levy would generate $19,225.90 a year for police department operations. Attempts in recent years have failed.
Blakeman believes he and his officers have a good rapport with residents and have established a police presence in the village.
"Domestic violence is down to nil, and we know the community and where people live," Blakeman said. "We know who belongs in neighborhoods and who doesn't."
One example
Blakeman said recently the department stopped theft of a motorcycle because he and his officers knew the man claiming to be removing the motorcycle from his uncle's garage was lying.
"He was stealing the motorcycle right out of the garage," Blakeman said. "We questioned him and we knew he didn't belong there. He said the motorcycle belonged to his 'Uncle Dan' and he was going to wash it for him. There was no one living in that house by that name."
Blakeman said the department is working to change the public notion that Washingtonville is a speed trap because state Route 14 goes through the heart of town.
"We did a traffic count all last year and there were about 9,855,000 vehicles on that road in 2002," he said. "We wrote 336 speeding tickets."
Blakeman said anyone interested in looking at the traffic citations and speeds is more than welcome to do so at anytime. They are all 10 miles over the limit or more, he said.
Reason for levy
The levy would provide stable funding for the department's operations and encourage officers who enjoy working in the village not to leave, he said. There is turnover among officers who leave for full-time or better-paying part-time jobs elsewhere, he said.
One patrolman recently resigned and another is about to return to work after a medical leave, but the officers are able to cover patrol shifts, he said.
According to the Columbiana County Auditor's office, the levy would cost the owner of a $50,000 home $45.94 per year and the owner of a $100,000 home $91.88 per year.
tullis@vindy.com