(MILTON, Del.)-The uncertain future of Milton's police department took center stage at December 16th's town meeting.
There was a standing ovation for the Milton police officer who was first on the scene of a shooting which left one man dead and a teen paralyzed.
"Thanks to Lieutenant Harvey and the Milton police department this was a solvable homicide," said Captain John Cornwell.
At the same meeting the town council discussed the hot-button issue to turn over policing duties to State troopers. All in an effort to save money.
"With the onset of everything that is happening nationally in the country, we cannot even think about losing our police people," explained Councilwoman, Esthelda Parker-Selby.
When the State police were called as back-up to the fatal Milton shootings, Captain John Cornwell said it took them twelve minutes to get to the scene.
"They are tasked with a very large area and large populous compared to us," explained Cornwell. "But when you're standing there for twelve minutes waiting for a back-up officer to come.
That seems like an eternity."
Cornwell tells us those twelve minutes can make a big difference in whether or not a case gets solved. Locals are saying it is just one more reason why Milton needs a local police department.
"The local police know the town, they know the people in the town," said Ben Heywood, Milton. "A state police man is coming in cold almost every time."
The committee will meet again on December 22nd and then present the council with a status report at the next town council meeting.