Despite crime rate increase, Palmer City Council considers wider service area

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Data is sourced from the City of Palmer Police Department.

The Palmer City Council has now officially taken the idea of increasing its service area into consideration.

Serving an additional 6,500 people, however, doesn't come without costs, including more pressure on the local police department.

According to data from the Palmer Police Dept., thefts and assaults have hit a five-year high for the area the department currently serves. Officials have estimated that about 14 additional officers would be needed in order to police an area with nearly 7,000 more people in it.

The addition of those officers would cost approximately $3 million for the first year and $2 million each year thereafter, police department officials said.

Those proposals would need to be discussed and approved by the City of Palmer and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough in order for them to be implemented, for both the expansion of the service area and for those hires to be made.