Berger, Garlock respond to Beck’s enforcement plan

LIMA - Mayor David Berger and Police Chief Greg Garlock said this morning they welcome assistance from the Allen County Sheriff's Office but not at the expense of the city's Proactive Crime Enforcement Unit.

The men responded to Sheriff Dan Beck's comments to City Council last week. Beck said he wanted to develop teams of a handful of officers from each department to conduct concentrated, coordinated law enforcement in high-crime areas of the city and said he's pushed the idea for years and was most recently rejected by Berger and Garlock again this spring.

Beck's plans came with a "demand" of disbanding the PACE Unit, Berger and Garlock said, something the Police Department isn't willing to do.

Berger's response to Beck came because Garlock was against the idea, Garlock said.

The Police Department welcomes and uses assistance from many local, regional, state and federal agencies, Garlock said, and would use it from the Sheriff's Office.

Garlock sent a letter to City Council Safety Services Chairman Sam McLean dated Aug. 12 saying he didn't think a committee meeting was needed to hear Beck's plans as Beck had requested.

"First, I do not think it is a good idea to discuss law enforcement strategies in public, thereby informing the criminals of our plans," Garlock wrote. "Second, meetings are unnecessary because the police department will agree to utilize Sheriff Beck's deputies as part of LPD's currently existing concentrated law enforcement activities."