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General News: Study: Cut Police Patrols to Save Money
November 23, 2009
The final report from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services has several recommendations for the village of Cornwall-on-Hudson police department, including the creation of one 12-hour shift that would reduce police patrols by half.
The study says that the 12-hour shift, from noon to midnight, would cover the bulk of calls for service and that the town police could respond to others. The report offers a second alternative plan: eliminate the 11:30 pm to 7 am tour. It also recommends eliminating vacant house checks, which by its calculations, account for 64% of all service calls in the village.
The village board of trustees received the final report last week, but did not comment on it, pending further review. They did criticize a preliminary draft of the document last month, questioning its methodology and faulting the lack of new information contained in it. (See full story.)
Reports Says Consolidation Could Save Village Money
The study stops short of recommending a full consolidation of the village police department with the town of Cornwall police, noting its respect for the village’s desire to keep its police department. However, it presented some data that show the village could save substantial money if it took that route.
According to the study, the village could save about $407,778 annually by fully consolidating with the town police department. Currently, the village budgets $532,000 a year for the village department, with another $200,000 going to the town for dispatch, court and animal control services.
That cost of police services breaks down to $239 per village resident, compared to a cost of approximately $100 per resident in the town of Cornwall, which spends $1.28 million a year on police, the study says.
Trustees Challenge Calculation of Savings
Last month, trustee Mark Edsall disputed the calculations, arguing that the projected savings of $407,000 doesn’t ensure coverage in the village 24/7 or at special events, coverage that the village would likely request in a contract for service from the town.
“If the village in fact wanted 24-7 coverage with an assigned vehicle to the village, it would blow that entire calculation out of the water,” Edsall said.
Edsall and fellow trustee Douglas Vatter also pointed out that it was wrong to count every vacant house check as a call for service when they normally occur during routine patrols. The only recommendation that the trustees had apparent agreement on was to reduce the number of patrol vehicles in the department.
Trustee Barbara Gosda said last month that she found some useful information in the report, although she gave it a “D minus.”
Orange County DA Favors Consolidation
Police department consolidation is also on the mind of Orange County District Attorney Frank Philips, who wrote to the village board earlier this month, to point out the retirement of Chief Williams from the village police department provided an "excellent opportunity" for consolidation. He argues that consolidation can save money without compromising public safety and can lead to a more professional police force.
The village board had no comment on his letter.
Read the full DCJS study by clicking on the download below.
Comments:
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A "D-minus", interesting, sometimes the truth hurts. I wonder what grade the study would have gotten if Chief Williams hadn't retired. The Village Board wants to further review the study, all you need is to give it a twenty minute read and it is pretty clear what they don't like about it. Do you really think that the Village needs coverage 24/7, look at the call volume.The Village should be thankfull that they counted the vacant house checks without thm it would be extremely difficult to justify having a police department.
posted by James Berryman on 11/25/09 at 5:30 PM
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