SEMMES, Ala. (WPMI) The city of Semmes has signed a service contract with the Mobile County Sheriff's Office. Under the $440,000 deal, five Mobile County deputies and one supervisor will cover Semmes 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The deputies will work out of the sheriff's office Semmes substation, which is already built and operational.
Leaders of the fledgling city say it's more cost effective than maintaining their own police force.
"The cost to start from scratch with the city of Semmes for the police department, it's going to be around $1.5 million to $2 million just for the first year to get started," said Semmes Mayor Judy Hale.
Along with the deputies on the streets comes backup: Semmes will have access to the sheriff's office team of investigators, facilities and legal services.
"These are the benefits the city of Semmes would not be able to have on their own if they had their own small police department," said Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran.
But are just five deputies enough to cover the entire city of roughly 3,100 people? To put it in perspective, about 165 deputies serve all of Mobile County, nearly half a million people.
"Based on the schedule we have created, we can cover 24/7 with no problem at all," said Sergeant Todd Freind.
This team of deputies has actually been working in Semmes since December 1. City leaders say in that time crime stats have already gone down.
