Saturday, May 3
The home invasion incident this week that found an elderly Pownal man struggling with a masked burglar armed with a knife and a baseball bat was, thankfully, a rare occurrence in the town, and in Bennington County as well. But it points up one vivid reason why Pownal can no longer shirk its obligation to provide adequate police protection to bolster an overstretched state police barracks based in Shaftsbury.

Samuel Hibbard did manage to break away from the younger man he was fighting — in the process sustaining lacerations to the head and other injuries — to reach his pistol in another room. That convinced the burglar who attacked Mr. Hibbard and his wife late Tuesday night to flee. But it doesn't take much imagination to picture another, more tragic scenario.

After all, the Hibbards essentially were at the mercy of the armed assailant before Samuel reached his gun, and the same could be true for most homeowners in Pownal and in other Vermont towns — even if they do have guns in the house. Since few Vermonters carry guns in a holster or strapped over their shoulder, everything depends on having enough time to reach that weapon. If they are taken by surprise,

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as the Hibbards were, that might never happen.

Often homeowners must load their gun, too, since leaving it loaded all the time is inviting an accident or misuse by a child.

Pownal residents should consider how prepared they are for such a random-seeming attack and take whatever precautions they can. But the best course would be to increase police presence in town for those times — which are many — when there are too few state troopers on duty to allow one to be patroling in Pownal.

The constable position is a good one for a town to have, but that officer is part-time and not as well-qualified or trained to handle violent encounters or other serious crimes. The town needs additional trained officers on hand, and the option of hiring the Bennington County Sheriff's Department to patrol for 40 hours a week seems the best available option.

The Select Board, however, remains solidly opposed to approving such a contract, which has been voted down at town meeting in the past. That would appear to leave it up to citizens who might want to force the issue by petitioning for another vote.

However, both the Select Board and town voters have to come to grips with this obligation and find a way to pay the cost. To continue to go the cheap route is to invite disaster — and more attention from criminals now operating in better-policed communities.