Council votes to increase security

BY VICTOR INGE

THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

VALLEY GRANDE &045; More patrols are on the way to this city to protect area businesses and residents.

The Valley Grande City Council voted Monday to authorize Mayor Tom Lee to pay off-duty deputies to secure area businesses through the holiday season.

About $15,000 was in the budget to pay for the increased patrols.

The mayor said he met with Dallas County Sheriff Harris Huffman to talk about the plan.

Under the agreement, Lee said the city would be paying deputies to work while they’re off duty with the sheriffs department. The deputies would use their own uniforms and their patrol vehicles.

Lee said they would look at the deputies patrolling as &8220;a pilot program,&8221; of what may have to be done in addition to the security patrols already in place.

Recently, armed robbers have hit Peoples Bank & Trust and Dollar General store. No arrest has been made in either incident.