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SCHENECTADY
Police consolidation study focus of $45K state grant
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    A state grant will allow Columbia University to study how much it would cost to consolidate policing in Schenectady County — and whether there is any cost-effective way to change the policing in the city.
    Mayor Brian U. Stratton applied for a $45,000 grant last year in hopes of gathering proof that consolidation will save money. He has been advocating for a reorganization of the Schenectady Police Department for nearly a year, following a flurry of arrests of police officers on allegations of misconduct. Stratton is also trying to fire those officers, but he said he wants to take larger steps.
    “I’m talking about major consolidations,” he said. “A county police department is not beyond the realm of possibility. If that provides better services, lower taxes, I think everyone would welcome it.”
    So far few have spoken in favor of it. Only one politician from outside the city agreed to consider the idea, and he has now been voted out of office. The county Democrats are staunchly opposed, with Legislature Chairwoman Susan Savage issuing a statement Tuesday that said the mayor’s plan might make policing worse throughout the county. ...........>>>>................>>>>...........http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01000&AppName=1

They have already made up their minds because I'm sure it must be in some kind of mandate from the Patriot Act/Homeland security.......
...sssshhhhh....there might be $$ involved.....

it is called the sheriff

save the money skip the study

so far they say stratton is the only one for this countywide police force. the counties are not. Actually I heard that on WGY news tonight.

Paging Mr. Mertz where are you on this? Shouldn't you be on this thread saying anything that will save money is a good idea? Or does that only work when you and your friends stand to benefit monetarily like the Mohawk/REMS thing? Is that you don't want to speak up, or you are too busy cleaning the blood off yourself?

Greeny ~ as I posted on another thread ~ it is my understanding that Mertz did not assault Buchanan as you are trying to mislead people.  If Mertz got Buchanans blood on him it must have been one of Buchanan's stress nose bleeds and just happen to have occured when they were in the same vacinity.

As for this thread ~ yea, I agree ~ it would be nice to know where Mertz stands on this.  

But Jerry ~ how long are you going to hide behind the Mohawk/REMS argument that holds no water?

First of all, I'm not sure who you think  I am, but I assure you my name is not Jerry. I never suggested Mertz had Buchanan's blood on him...

Quoted from 347

Greeny ~ as I posted on another thread ~ it is my understanding that Mertz did not assault Buchanan as you are trying to mislead people.  If Mertz got Buchanans blood on him it must have been one of Buchanan's stress nose bleeds and just happen to have occured when they were in the same vacinity.

As for this thread ~ yea, I agree ~ it would be nice to know where Mertz stands on this.  

But Jerry ~ how long are you going to hide behind the Mohawk/REMS argument that holds no water?

STRESS nose bleeds????? that's funny....

Such a plan would save money for sure

But my gut feeling is that most people in the towns would oppose it because they believe that they will lose services, i.e., when the county power says they need more cops in Hamilton Hill, i.e., increase staffing on the hill, reduce service to the outlying towns

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EDITORIALS Don’t rule out Sch’dy cop consolidation

    Whatever happened to “working together works?” The battle cry of the Schenectady County Democrats since they took control of the city and county governments several years ago seems all but lost when it comes to the subject of police consolidation, which Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton is in favor of but no one else wants to go near with a 10-foot billy club.
    Actually, all Stratton wants to do at this point is study the idea, and this week he secured a $45,000 state matching grant to have a Columbia University research team determine whether combining the various police agencies and county sheriff’s department makes sense.
    Politically, the answer seems to be a resounding no for suburban legislators — at least on the surface. The Schenectady Police Department is fraught with problems, of course, so let the city suffer with it. That’s been the very vocal opinion expressed by at least a few county legislators, including Chairwoman Susan Savage, ever since Stratton raised the idea of a study last year. And Savage jumped all over it again Tuesday: “The problems ... are unique to the city... the other communities in our county are not experiencing those problems. A shared services agreement isn’t going to fix the city’s problems but could move the problems to the towns ...”
    Sounds a lot more like “us against them,” than “working together works.” ..................>>>>................>>>>..........................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00901&AppName=1

I'm confused ~ Dom Dagostino ~ a Dem ~ would be in charge of the county wide police force right?  And wouldn't he bring the best and brightest from the RPD to assist him in getting control of the crime problems in the entire county?  So ~ why ~ would the Dems be in opposition?

Save money ~ bring in the best of the best ~ more resources for less money ~ could save homeowners on property taxes ~ seems like the Dems should be all over this.

What a waste of State money. No wonder the State and County are both in the toilet. Sue Savage and every town leader has come out against this. The Glenville DEM who supported it was thrown out of office. This is a nonstarter and Son of Sam better start reforming his force like he promised over 6 years ago.

   Howdy Doody's "stress nose bleeds"-ROTFLMAO!! Another classic from Felipe. Don't leave town so much. Does this happen every time a buddy flips?

Quoted from 347

I'm confused ~ Dom Dagostino ~ a Dem ~ would be in charge of the county wide police force right?  And wouldn't he bring the best and brightest from the RPD to assist him in getting control of the crime problems in the entire county?  So ~ why ~ would the Dems be in opposition?

Save money ~ bring in the best of the best ~ more resources for less money ~ could save homeowners on property taxes ~ seems like the Dems should be all over this.

Those who control the guns control the masses
those who control the money control the masses
those who control the laws control the masses

it has NOTHING to do with party affiliation and EVERYTHING to do with homeland security and patriot act......dont think it doesn't
where is your RealID????

show me the law trail and show me the $$ trail.......

the 'fight' between the parties is just smoke screen for the elephant in the room......anyone feel they saved $$ and safe yet????

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VIEWPOINT
County’s proposal to share services has flaws
For The
Sunday Gazette

    The Gazette’s recent editorial in support of consolidating dispatching for emergency response (Go for central dispatch in Schenectady County, Feb. 21) is right on one point: Schenectady County needs to move toward consolidation of services.
    Not every consolidation, however, is in the public’s best interest.
    A consolidation of government services should produce efficiencies of scale, cost savings for all partners and improved service delivery. The county’s current plan to “share” emergency dispatch services does not accomplish these objectives.
    First, the supposed savings is reported in 2009 dollars, not real dollars, and does not reflect yet-tobe-determined negotiated wages, fringe benefit increases, retirement system charges and building costs. To assert that we will surely save 7 percent without knowing these costs is hopeful, at best.
    Besides, these savings can only be realized by bringing the staffing levels from the current 55 dispatchers to the optimal 46, which the county says can only happen through attrition, something that they’re hoping happens in the coming years. However, the assumption that nearly 20 percent of current dispatchers will leave their secure government job during the most unstable job market in 70 years is not realistic. ...............>>>>..................>>>>..............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r02902&AppName=1

I would have to think that the safety of the public would be in jeopardy. I agree that with more policing needed in some city neighborhoods, the rest of the county would be undermanned. Whenever I hear talk of consolidation of any service I have to wonder just how it will benefit the city. Thought Koetzle's article was dead on in todays rag. Why do we need a central dispatch if we are still going to foot the bill in another bloated government entity.