Board considers paying for special Indian Hills patrols

Indian Hills area residents are so concerned about more stores, more people and more traffic issues they are considering paying the Douglas County Sheriff's Office for extra patrols in their neighborhoods.

"The more we develop, there is even more reason for that kind of patrol," said General Manager Jim Bentley.

The Indian Hills General Improvement District Board of Trustees will consider the issue at its meeting Tuesday.

The growing district is next to booming retail and commercial development in northern Douglas County.

The area, with a population of about 6,000, has seen about 120 homes built each year for the past five years and is expecting more to be built behind The Home Depot in the Silver Crest area and many more in Sunridge South on the east side.

The district relies on the sheriff's department for law enforcement services, Bentley said, but because of the size of the county and the small number of deputies available at any time, this might mean a response time of 15 minutes or more.

The district is most concerned about speeding along Vista Grande, a well-traveled thoroughfare running through west side neighborhoods.

Also James Lee Park, owned and managed by the district, is undergoing improvements that are sure to draw more park visitors and activity, Bentley said.

The district has had neighborhood volunteers look for violations, including graffiti or illegal motorcycle riding at its parks, but they can't make arrests or write citations, Bentley said.

In October, the district met with Lt. Steven Orr, patrol division commander for the sheriff's office, to discuss costs for providing a dedicated patrol for the area. Orr said it would cost the district $35 an hour to pay for additional patrols at designated times and locations, but a full-time dedicated patrol officer would not be possible because of the cost.

Orr plans to address Indian Hills Board of Trustees on Tuesday to present statistics showing how many calls are taken in the area. But he said he suspects it is few.

Orr questioned whether dedicated patrols in the area are necessary. Indian Hills is covered 24 hours a day by one patrol deputy as part of a larger district that includes Genoa, Jacks Valley and the Stephanie Lane and Johnson Lane areas.

After hearing public concerns in October, Orr said the department instituted special traffic enforcement along Vista Grande. The department also has a dedicated unit to handle traffic, which is the No. 1 complaint in the county, Orr said. The department covers 750 square miles.

IF YOU GO

What: Indian Hills General Improvement District regular meeting

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday

Where: District Office, 924-D Mica Drive