Sheriff Todd Brackett asked the Lincoln County Commissioners for permission to apply for a Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant to fund a new position within the Sheriff’s Office.

The focus of the new position, which might involve a promotion from within, is to train a deputy to be a front line individual to deal with the growing epidemic of inmates with substance abuse or mental health issues, or both.

Brackett said that although his officers have received more training than the state mandates to deal with people with mental health issues, the problem has increased over the last ten years, and he believes a dedicated individual would be a valuable asset.

“We’ve been dealing with this problem in law enforcement, and in the jail, for some time,” he said. “A lot of these people should be receiving assistance for mental health problems or substance abuse, not be put in jail.” Brackett envisioned the new position being able to divert people from a jail setting by talking to prosecutors after a person had committed a crime, or getting referrals from deputies who foresee problems in families in the communities that haven’t yet risen to an arrest situation.

This year, according to their grant website, the COPS Office Hiring Program (CHP) provides up to 75 percent funding for approved entry-level salaries and fringe benefits of newly hired or rehired full-time sworn law enforcement officers over three years, up to a maximum of $125,000 per officer position. There is a minimum 25 percent local match required. The grant also requires that the agency continue the position for a fourth year, after the grant period expires.

The Commissioners had questions about the need for and the background of someone who could deal with both substance abuse cases and mental illness victims. Commissioner Hamilton Meserve asked about the county’s fiduciary commitment. Although the commitment is for a four-year period, Brackett acknowledged that he would like the position to be permanent, with an officer dedicated to dealing with cases of substance abuse and mental illness, just as there is a dedicated officer dealing with domestic violence now.

Commissioner William Blodgett questioned whether the two groups being served don’t have unique needs. “This position is for law enforcement, not for a social worker or medical personnel,” Brackett said. “The deputy just needs the time to be trained in both disciplines. Right now, there is no one who has the time to be trained in what it would take to learn how to deal with these issues.”

The commissioners voted unanimously to allow Brackett to continue with the grant proposal, but asked him to return with additional information about the proposal and the community’s needs in two weeks. The grant is competitive, and there is no guarantee Lincoln County will receive the funds.

The commissioners also voted to allow a much smaller grant proposal to obtain ergonomic work stations and storage wardrobes in the patrol department at the Sheriff’s Office.