Mount Airy officials have decided to add a fifth police officer to the town's resident state trooper program.
Town Council President Delaine Hobbs led the initiative to hire an additional trooper, which was approved by council members Monday night, because of an increased number of service calls.
"We didn't have the police coverage I feel we need," Mr. Hobbs said. "When your traffic stops increase like ours did, and the calls for service increase all the way down the line, it's time for more police."
Calls for service to Mount Airy resident troopers increased from 1,910 in 1991 to 2,214 in 1993, Mr. Hobbs said.
Carroll is one of a handful of counties and municipalities using the resident trooper program, in which state troopers are trained and assigned to patrol in areas near where they live. Local governments pay the cost of salaries, benefits and equipment.
Forty-four resident troopers work in Carroll.
In fiscal year 1995, Mount Airy budgeted $279,000 to pay for its four resident troopers.
The first-year cost for an extra resident trooper in the town will be $96,000, with the cost in subsequent years dropping to $67,000, said Sgt. Steve Reynolds, coordinator of the Carroll County resident trooper program.
The first-year cost covers a new police car and other equipment, Sergeant Reynolds said.
Although Mount Airy has approved funding for a fifth resident trooper, an officer probably won't be available until sometime this summer to fill the position.
"We don't just have them [resident troopers] sitting around ready to go into the program," said Lt. Jack Bowman, the state coordinator of the resident trooper program.
Middletown decided last month to terminate its resident trooper contract in July. As a result, a resident trooper position is vacant and could be filled in Mount Airy, Lieutenant Bowman said.