Portage County Sheriff-Elect John Charewicz says he knows he faces a challenge with a tight budget, but he still plans to expand the community policing program.
"Money is definitely going to be a problem," said Charewicz, "but by being a little more creative in using our manpower, I think we can get around that."
"[Money] may not be there for new cars every other year. It may not be there for some of the equipment and training that we need, but we can always find money so we can deliver the services that people have come to expect from the Sheriff's department," Charewicz said.
Charewicz says he plans to start making deputies more visible in the area, and that the first step will be getting input from the 22 officers in his department.
