Regional policing makes sense

The Northern Kentucky communities of Crescent Springs and Erlanger are edging closer to merging their police departments.

Even if there were no cost savings to taxpayers, the idea would be worth pursuing, because the combined department can deploy manpower more effectively. For example, Crescent Springs only has one patrol officer on duty about half the time. That's just not enough police power in this day and age. Policing also is more complicated these days. Ask any career law enforcement officer. Larger departments can handle those complexities more readily.

Not every consolidation of government service is a good idea, but an opportunity to consolidate policing or firefighting almost always is worth a look.

The alternative can be a parochial response to consolidation ideas, as we're seeing in Boone County where some fire departments resist even talking about taking cooperation to a new level. Four of the nine fire departments in Boone County (And do we really need nine?) aren't taking part in discussions. They are Burlington, Union, Verona and Belleview-McVille.

Then there's Southgate's fire department in Campbell County. Southgate desperately needs a new facility. As I noted in an earlier post, consolidation with a neighbor might not make much sense right now, but at least Southgate officials have been open and willing to talk about it.

Meanwhile, Crescent Springs and Erlanger are adding to Northern Kentucky's reputation as a place where parochial agendas can get set aside and things get done.