All four police agencies in Starke County will participate in the upcoming Operation Pull Over Campaign.
Chad Dulin is the coordinator for the Starke County effort. He told the Knox Board of Public Works members Wednesday morning that Starke County is getting 100 hours from the St. Joseph County’s Sheriff’s Department’s enforcement effort to participate in the campaign. Dulin said the county hasn’t been a part of an Operation Pullover campaign for some time and this is a way to get back into the program.
Dulin said Starke County is on a probationary period and will be allowed to share 100 hours equally between the Knox City Police Department, North Judson Police Department, Hamlet Police Department and Starke County Sheriff’s Department. He noted that Starke County has to show improved statistics to have a stand alone enforcement effort with more hours in the following campaign.
Dulin asked the board to pay the officer’s hours for time worked during Operation Pull Over. The dates will be specific and three officers will work eight hours to fulfill nearly 25 hours of OPO for the Knox City Police Department. The city will be reimbursed with grant money received from the state through the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department grant. The upcoming enforcement is from Nov. 10 to Dec. 3.
Officer Dulin noted that if Starke County can get out of the probation time and secure enforcement time, the county will become eligible for federal grant money for equipment upgrades and needs.
The Knox Board of Public Works members unanimously approved the request to pay the officers involved in OPO time-and-a-half for hours worked. The total would be a little over $770.
