General News: Town Reverses Decision on Police Layoffs
Officers Hansen (second from right) watched people who protested outside town hall.
Officers Hansen and Casullo listen to people speak in favor of keeping them on the force.
September 07, 2011
Supporters of Cornwall police officers crowded into the courtroom at town hall Tuesday night to show their support for the two officers who were slated to lose their jobs at the stroke of midnight. For more than an hour two dozen people spoke, many sharing concerns that Cornwall’s security will go down hill if the two officers were eliminated from the force.
Town board members listened to the speakers without saying a word, then after only a handful of people remained in the room at the end of their scheduled work session, the board called a special meeting and voted to rescind their decision to eliminate the two officers and downgrade a sergeant’s position starting September 7.
The move followed a hearing Tuesday morning in state supreme court where a judge proposed the move after reviewing a lawsuit filed by the police union to stop the layoffs. That suit claimed that the town board had failed to follow open meeting laws when it discussed the layoffs in a closed-door executive session. State law requires a layoff discussion be held in a public meeting.
No one from the town board was willing to talk about their decision until they had heard back from the judge, but Sgt. Schofield, the union representative on the Cornwall police force, said he didn’t think they had been left with any other choice. Schofield also said that he expects the issue of reduction in the size of the full-time police department will come up again in contract negotiations with the town that start this Thursday.
Comments:
There is hope that government. realizes the impact of public safety as whole. There is hope that government. realizes the impact of public safety as whole. At about 60 cents per day for the average taxpayer for ALL police services do you want a reduction? I don?t think so. At about 60 cents per day for the average taxpayer for ALL poice services do you want a reduction?
I am happy they came to their senses. I hope in the future that legal expenses for their illegal actions factor into their personal agenda . Taxpayers deserve more!!.
