CENTRAL - A new proposal in Central could reshape law enforcement in the community. Instead of expanding its part-time police department, Mayor Wade Evans is considering an official partnership with the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office. This comes amid staffing shortages and budget concerns.

For years, the sheriff's office has worked alongside the Central Police Department. Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran said his officers have a good working relationship with deputies.

"On a day-to-day basis, we work very well together," said Corcoran.

Central Police is a small department, operating with just one to two part-time officers per shift.

"We would like to have five per shift, but you have to have funding," said Corcoran.

After the creation of the City of St. George, a much larger city also operating without a full-time police department, Mayor Wade wants to make sure his community has steady access to deputies.

"Looking at the needs of our citizens, it made more sense to work with the sheriff to create an interim plan to run as a hybrid model," said Evans.

Under the new proposal, the city would pay about $2 million annually to fund a deputy presence working alongside the city's part-time officers.

If approved, Chief Corcoran said his officers and sheriff's deputies will likely respond to calls the same way they do now.

"Us and the Sheriff's office, we hear each other's radio. We both respond, and whoever gets there first gets there first. We respond together, we work together," said Corcoran.

Several residents, who al declined to speak on camera, asked, "Why doesn't the city just make its police department a full-time department?" Mayor Evans said it would be difficult since the city operates on just a 2% sales tax.

"A full-time department would be about $6.8 million a year. That would deplete our general fund reserves rather quickly," said Evans.

The mayor said a full-time police department would require a staff of about 54 full-time workers.

"One of the concerns with a full-time department is the legacy costs. And the City of Central has built a city without having government legacies. We operate this city with only three full-time employees in city hall and two over there at the police department, so our legacy costs are low," said Evans.

This proposal is still in the early stages, so there is no set number of deputies who would respond to calls in Central.

Mayor Evans hopes to get the proposal on the City Council agenda for a vote soon.