Fairlee, Norwich, Thetford rethink proper level of policing
Modified: 3/5/2021 10:10:00 PM
FAIRLEE — With police budgets across the country coming under increasing scrutiny, residents in the small towns of Fairlee, Norwich and Thetford this week signaled that they are comfortable with the coverage they have, and might even be open to curbing some spending.
Most notably, voters at Town Meeting in Fairlee, population 1,029, roundly rejected a measure that would have more than doubled patrolling time in town in a 162-116 vote.
The cost — nearly $31,000 to contract with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for an additional 20 hours of police coverage a week — was a main concern for Fairlee resident Norman Kalen. He said he voted against the article because it “didn’t seem necessary,” and he couldn’t justify spending that amount on additional police.