Greenburgh: Intermunicipal Sharing of Police Services Considered

[x635 4,066]

I'm for this. There's no reason why there needs to be so many small, fragmented departments in one town. It used to be that the Police Officers in these Villages were from the Communties, and knew the residents and village inside and out. Today, not so much. There's no reason, in my opinion, why there needs to be a highly paid command structure for each department, each department needs their own fleet, etc. It's duplication. Money can be saved, and applied to putting more officers on the street. The current Police stations can act as a precinct. This would also benefit officers, as it would allow them more advancment oppurtunity and being able to change once in a while from patrolling the same small village.

As the Town Board liaison to the Greenburgh Police Department’s Community Advisory Board, I met several weeks ago with Dobbs Ferry village and police officials to discuss the possibility of conducting a study on the benefits of sharing services between police departments.

The study would not cost Greenburgh taxpayers, as New York State has grant money available for this study. We think it is beneficial to conduct this study while grant money is available to pay for it.

A study previously done that looked at consolidating the police departments in Dobbs Ferry and in Irvington suggested the villages could each save over $1 million per year. We are hopeful this same taxpayer savings could be realized with the sharing of services with the Greenburgh Police Department.

The crime rate in Greenburgh is at its lowest point in recorded history. If sharing services could provide a cost savings to the entire town, as well as increase public safety, we need to explore this possibility.

I will continue to update you as we move forward. Please feel free to call (993-1544) or email with any questions or comments.

Eddie Mae Barnes, Councilwoman

Town of Greenburgh

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

I have been saying we should do this within our community for ever. The problem is POLITICS. The chiefs of these DEPTS are not going to want to give up control. Neither are the MAYORS or TOWN SUPERVISORS. That is why we should just have a COUNTY WIDE PD. Just like NASSAU and SUFFOLK COUNTIES. You can keep some of the little DEPT but just make everything else the same. Talk about movement. We would be able to work in different parts of the COUNTY. That would be AWESOME.

[OnTheWheel 43]

I have been saying we should do this within our community for ever. The problem is POLITICS. The chiefs of these DEPTS are not going to want to give up control. Neither are the MAYORS or TOWN SUPERVISORS. That is why we should just have a COUNTY WIDE PD. Just like NASSAU and SUFFOLK COUNTIES. You can keep some of the little DEPT but just make everything else the same. Talk about movement. We would be able to work in different parts of the COUNTY. That would be AWESOME.

I agree to a point, if you made a county wide pd the "small town USA" would deteriorate, knowing the beat cops in your community, or being a cop and knowing your community is part of that warm and fuzzy feeling. If you get just any cop riding through, I dont think youll get the same rate of service as you would with a local pd. I agree with merging some smaller ones, but one or two, anything more you lose that loving feeling ;-)

Edited September 6, 2007 by OnTheWheel

[Oswegowind 17]

Going to a semi-Countywide system makes sense. Having a central dispatch. Leave the larger department such as New Ro, White Plains, Yonkers, maybe Port Chester, but have 911 and dispatch in 1 central location. Merge the rest into Precincts. Greenburgh can be a precinct with a sub-station in Dobbs where officers fall out of. Assign sectors, some of which will include highway sections to further the coverage. Then out of County HQ have the highway patrol, traffic unit, all specialized units fall out, including a task force which is just extra cars on the street that respond to bigger jobs automatically as back up units (regions of sectors). This would make it easier to assess resources, communicate between area during pursuits and other events, and would improve officer safety. This would not include any removal of current services, just instead of working for ie "Buchanan" you would fall out of the Peekskill PCT and cover that sector and coverage would be 24/7.

For Greenburgh this is a great step in the right direction. Reduces taxpayer overhead. The admin positions are usually overpaid for the workload and are political in nature. Policing and politics should be separated! No one's job should be hung over their head cause they write a friend of the mayor's! The Troopers do this on a statewide level and do a great job of it! Why can't we do it on a much smaller level? EGO's and Politics!

[TheBuff376 8]

I think a lot of these small towns should be merging departments to save taxpayer money, but it needs to go further than PD. FD, EMS & even gov't positions should also merge together and resources shared. Unfortunately egos will get in the way,

[huzzie59 75]

Has there ever been a discussion about a merger of the three town fire departments, Fairview, Hartsdale and Greenville? Must be some savings if they merge.

[ny10570 745]

Can we please merge a few of these little police depts. Pleasantville has some great officers, but for fornication sake why is there a separate dept from Mt. Pleasant?? They only cover the village, yet they are the proud owners of a brand new motorcycle. As it is Mt. Pleasant covers half the town, and I have yet to hear a reason for this duplication.

[Oswegowind 17]

Oh yeah, bout that Motorcycle...when the officer (my brother in-law) pushed it, I thought Pville getting a bike was nonsense. And I still do! And I believe that merging departments is a must in this county, time for reform.

In Greenburgh, there are how many police departments? Let me see; Ardsley, Hastings, Dobbs, Town, Irvington, Elmsford? Am I missing any?

Now, do they really need it...is crime so rampant in any of these jurisdictions that they need their own department? I mean come on...how bout two stations, 1 department. Town of Greenburgh Police-Headquarters, TOG PD-Rivertowns Substation. I would still like to see the County absorb some of the small departments, similar to Cortlandt, with 1 less mistake. Coverage! Although, lately I have noticed an increase in Trooper patrols around the neighborhood, but still only see 27C on occasion. I can't recall, but I believe the Town of Cortlandt PD only worked 8am-midnight, so that is why the County contract stipulates the same, but if I remember correctly, they ran 2 cars a shift, so the mistake is that the Town won't pay for appropriate coverage. Cortlandt needs at least 2 county cars to supplement the troopers and stop those idiots from making the left into Wendy's!!!! (personal rant).

[Guest partyrock]

Can we please merge a few of these little police depts. Pleasantville has some great officers, but for fornication sake why is there a separate dept from Mt. Pleasant?? They only cover the village, yet they are the proud owners of a brand new motorcycle. As it is Mt. Pleasant covers half the town, and I have yet to hear a reason for this duplication.

Since you've got Pleasantville's zip code in your handle, I'm assuming you're a Pleasantville resident. I'm guessing you won't be speeding, trying to beat lights, or any other risky behavior for a while. Good luck.

[ltjay157 10]

I don't want to seem ignorant since I'm not familiar about this situation. I thought that each of the names listed were their own towns? I know in CT that everytown has ther own PD or is covered under the Resident State Trooper Program. I didn't realise that all of the places named were in fact in the same town. I could never figure out what a hamlet, village, actually is. You have The Villiage of Brewster & the Town of Southeast but it's basically the same place right? Any info on clarifying how/what things are in NY would be helpful to me.

[Guest]

Can we please merge a few of these little police depts. Pleasantville has some great officers, but for fornication sake why is there a separate dept from Mt. Pleasant?? They only cover the village, yet they are the proud owners of a brand new motorcycle. As it is Mt. Pleasant covers half the town, and I have yet to hear a reason for this duplication.

actually pleasantville PD did not pay for the bike(s), they were donated (i don't recall if they recieved one or two). but PPD did have to pay for the lights, siren, decals, etc.

[helicopper 1,050]

I don't want to seem ignorant since I'm not familiar about this situation. I thought that each of the names listed were their own towns? I know in CT that everytown has ther own PD or is covered under the Resident State Trooper Program. I didn't realise that all of the places named were in fact in the same town. I could never figure out what a hamlet, village, actually is. You have The Villiage of Brewster & the Town of Southeast but it's basically the same place right? Any info on clarifying how/what things are in NY would be helpful to me.

Better late than never I suppose...

Hamlets are are unincorporated "communities" within towns. Many have their own post offices or other points of interest (like a business district) but no government of their own - they are part of the larger town in which they are located.

Villages, towns, and cities are incorporated municipalities and defined by state law. Each has certain responsibilities under the law and can provide its own services (such as police, fire, sanitation, public works, etc.).

The Village of Brewster is an autonomous municipality located within the Town of Southeast. Confused yet?

On the subject of consolidation, there's no reason why we have 43 police departments, 59 fire departments, and 50-something school districts in the County - it sure isn't for our benefit!!! Oneeye, there can still be community policing and a sense of community with a larger regional approach to the department as a whole. Leave the four big cities as they are now - they are too busy for their own good anyway.

Failing that, at least regionalize communications. It is truly pathetic that there can be a robbery in Town A with Town B, Village C and the County all within seconds of the scene but nobody knows about it because there is not centralized communications. Imagine if we all knew what was going on around us? Scary!!!!