CROYDON — An overflow crowd at the Town Hall on Saturday morning took less than 30 minutes to defeat a petition article asking whether the town should enter into a contract with Newport for police coverage.
The article, which by July 1 would have gotten rid of the town’s police department and its only officer, Chief Richard Lee, lost in a ballot vote, 121-51.
After the results were announced by Town Moderator Willis Ballou, there were loud cheers and applause from those who remained after voting.
Lee, the town’s only police officer, said the vote is a win for the town.
“I am relieved, and I’m very pleased for the town of Croydon that it can maintain its local police department,” Lee said as several residents stopped to shake his hand and offer congratulations on the outcome.
Saturday’s special Town Meeting came two months after voters at the March Town Meeting passed an article from the floor to get rid of the town police department and to enter into a contract with Newport for coverage. The legality of that vote and whether it was binding remained in dispute, and the same questions arose Saturday.
When Ballou gaveled the meeting to order, with some residents standing three rows deep at the back of the hall, he said he was not interested in hearing any debate and would not entertain any amendments.
“There is no purpose (to debating) except to stay here longer than is necessary,” Ballou said.
He then read the article. A few residents clarified that a “no” vote meant the town would keep its police department. Ballou also was asked whether Saturday’s vote was binding, and while he thought it was, he admitted it was not clear.
“Nobody even knows,” Ballou said.
Soon after, a motion to move the question passed easily, and the 15-minute discussion ended.
As votes were being counted, Selectboard Chairman Joe Marko said unless voters overwhelmingly supported the article, his board would not even consider turning police coverage over to Newport.
“We have said many times, we have no interest in moving police coverage to Newport,” Marko said.
He called the process a “big waste of time and money,” and said the Department of Revenue Administration and the town’s attorney said the vote in March was advisory only.
Brenda Williams, who said she started the petition to overturn the Town Meeting vote, thinks Saturday’s results were decisive.
“I think it sent a message to the town that we want our police department,” Williams said, adding that several lawyers told the petitioners that Saturday’s vote would be binding.
From Lee’s perspective, the vote in March was “totally personal.”
“I step on toes, but if I am doing my job, I do step on toes sometimes,” Lee said. “I don’t care who you are, if you commit a crime, you will be arrested. But some people don’t think they should be arrested.”
Resident Robert Brittner, who said he worked for the Norwich Police Department for 17 years, stood next to Lee at Town Hall.
“No doubt in my mind this was personal,” Brittner said. “I am all for keeping the same police department.”
Turnout Saturday represented nearly 32% of the town’s 543 registered voters.
For Marko, the most important issue facing the board now is healing a divided town.
“The key for us is knitting this town back together,” Marko said.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
