FLETCHER, OH – Citizens and visitors in Fletcher can expect to see some new technology in use in the police force. Covington Chief of Police Charles Wespit announced that a grant of over $1,000 from the Miami County Foundation would be used to invest in upgrades for the force, much of which has been in use since the department’s founding in 1913.

Wespit said that while nothing has been officially decided, he has a few ideas what the money might go toward. “Yeah, I was talking with my buddy at the feds and he said we can get some great deals on old military shit” said Wespit, “so maybe we might get a tank or something? I dunno, we’ll see what’s on sale.”

Police forces receiving equipment from the US armed forces is nothing new, especially here in Miami County. Tipp City Police received a mortar launcher in 2015, to great fanfare. After the fifth traffic stop ended with a car explosion, however, city officials decided to scrap the project. 

Despite the past problems, Wespit sees this as a golden opportunity to embrace new technology, “yeah, like obviously don’t give a beat cop a rocket launcher. But if there’s a big traffic jam, it’d be cool to have a helicopter with some turrets attached, you can get a Blackhawk for like pennies on the dollar, so that’s probably what we’ll do.”

Wespit may feel confident, however the final decision will likely not be his. The founding document of Fletcher states that all town purchasing decisions will be decided in a town vote. However, the document states that the vote can only be held on “the longest night of the summer” which has been traditionally interpreted to mean the Summer solstice. All villagers must be wearing their traditional town robes and the vote will go throughout the evening on Saturday, June 20, 2021.

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