It appears that Mr. Stratton, who so graciously gave himself a substantial raise, never did such a good job of supervising the SPD. Which is in fact part of the job he is paid for. So instead, he not only gives himself a raise, at the taxpayers expense, he also hires Mr. Bennett to do his(stratton) job, again at the extra cost to the taxpayer. How did this guy get re-elected?

He was re-elected because there are way too many uninformed voters in Schdy city/county who either don't know or don't care what's going on in this city/county.

Rene:

I just read the 30 posts I have made since I began reading this site and I couldn't find where I ever said anything like- "Next time youre in trouble, call a drug dealer"

Sorry jnotar, and my implication was the importance of police and the fact that they are relied upon when someone is in trouble.  If we didn't have any police at all, there would only be drug dearlers, burglars, rapists to call.   I sure don't want to rely on any of them for my protection.  I think I am digging myself in deeper here so I will just shut up

No big deal here. Whoever said it was making a valid point.

No- No big deal Rene. They're all valid points

I would only be the city police chief for no less than $250,000 year and a GIANT billy-club and a bunch of tasers to keep the politicians and union leaders away.....

although I think they already have the GIANT billy-club in use only it's called something else and I cant say it here..... ,,,but it isn't thinking straight

Quoted from Shadow

He was re-elected because there are way too many uninformed voters in Schdy city/county who either don't know or don't care what's going on in this city/county.

I agree with you on this one shadow. And it is a shame!

http://www.dailygazette.com

Quoted Text

Driver hits Schenectady house
Sunday, January 20, 2008

SCHENECTADY — City police are investigating an accident Sunday after a car hit a home at 2321 Guilderland Ave.
An unidentified driver of a white pick-up truck struck the home at about 6:15 p.m., according to Sean Cochrane, who owns the house.
Cochrane was at home at the time of the accident with his four children and he said that nobody inside the house was injured. He said he called 911, and he was told to leave the house because there was structural damage.
The truck damaged the front porch and the window frame outside the first-floor dining room.
“The house shook,” Cochrane said. “I checked to make sure the kids were OK, [then] yelled out the hole in the house to tell the guy not to go anywhere.”
A man at the scene was led away in handcuffs shortly after the accident. The same man was given a field sobriety test by police before being taken away.
“Once I got outside I just talked to [the driver], he seemed fine,” Cochrane said. “I just asked if he was OK.”
Police spokesman Lt. Brian Kilcullen said that the Schenectady Fire Department was called to the scene because there was an odor of natural gas outside after the accident.
Cochrane said his wife as not home when the accident happened.

http://www.dailygazette.com

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
Driver who slammed pickup into house charged with DWI
BY J. JUDE HAZARD Gazette Reporter
Gazette reporter Michael Goot contributed to this story.

    A Glenville man has been charged with driving while intoxicated for allegedly crashing his vehicle into a Guilderland Avenue home on Sunday.
    Police said John F. Carlson, 51, was driving his white pickup at about 6:15 p.m. and drove into the corner of a home owned by Sean Cochrane at 2321 Guilderland Ave.
    Cochrane was at home at the time of the accident with his four children and he said that nobody inside the house was injured. He said he called 911, and authorities told him to leave the house because there was structural damage.
    The truck damaged the front porch and the window frame outside the first-floor dining room.
    “The house shook,” Cochrane said. “I checked to make sure the kids were OK, [then] yelled out the hole in the house to tell the guy not to go anywhere.”
    Cochrane said his wife as not home when the accident happened. He went outside to talk to the driver, who seemed fine.
    Police spokesman Lt. Brian Kilcullen said Carlson was not injured in the accident. Police gave Carlson a field sobriety test before leading him away in handcuffs. He has been charged with driving while intoxicated and a violation level offense of failure to keep right.
    Kilcullen said that the Schenectady Fire Department was called to the scene because there was an odor of natural gas outside after the accident. The truck hit the corner of the house where the gas and electric service meters are. Occupants of the houses were evacuated on either side as a precaution until the utility company fixed the problem. Residents returned to their homes later that evening.
    Police closed that section of Guilderland Road for about an hour and a half.

http://www.dailygazette.com

Quoted Text

Schenectady cops hurt by own bad attitude

    As a homeowner in Schenectady, I am disgraced by our police force.
    First we have the damning grand jury report. Then the PBA files for arbitration. Then they want to push off their negotiation, which they say they gave a copy of to each council member, and, of course, they challenge the discipline policy.
    Now we have five more police suspended with pay, and Hamilton blasting our mayor for putting nine new men on notice at the gun and badge ceremony (Jan. 15 letter to editor).
Hamilton and his men are the ones who created this situation — clean it up! I hope the PBA never calls me again for a donation — the bank is closed.
LAURENCE SMITH
Schenectady

Well, voicing an opinion like this, I hope Laurence doesn't pull out of his driveway before buckling his seatbelt.  The Schenectady cops will most likely be keeping a close eye.

http://www.dailygazette.com

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
Praise and ideas given to Police Dept.
Public safety commissioner hears people’s concerns and opinions
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    A subdued crowd gave the police more praise than criticism Tuesday at the Schenectady City Council’s third meeting on how to improve the department.
    “Someone needs to stand up and say thank you to the police for doing their jobs,” said former mayor and current county Legislator Karen Johnson.
    Nearly every speaker offered some praise. But several radical changes — including a county takeover of the department — were also proposed, often by the same speakers who first praised the police. Speakers also expressed frustration at the fact that the city seems to hold serious talks about changing the department every few years, after yet another scandal.
    “For nine years we’ve been talking about professional standards, stronger police civilian review board, how to go about proactive community policing,” said the Rev. Steve Clunn, pastor of the First United Methodist Church. “I would love for us to get to a point where we’re not just talking. I long for that day.”
    Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett took pages of notes during the meeting and said afterward that he will meet with the council soon to discuss proposals raised by the public. He’s got a lot of homework to do. The Rev. Phil Grigsby delivered an eight-page list of recommendations from the Schenectady Committee for Social Justice. Although he, too, began his remarks by saying that he was “deeply grateful” for good police work, Grigsby emphasized that the city seems to have a series of investigations against police officers while public safety commissioners come and go.
    “We wonder if broader change is needed,” he said. “We wonder if it’s time for the city and county to seriously consider consolidation.”
    He said the city could contract police services from the county. Johnson said the department needs a stable leader — one who will stay around for many years. “There’s been tremendous inconsistency in the management of the police department,” she said. “The public would like the reassurance that there is a steady hand on the department.” She suggested giving career officers more management training to prepare them to lead the department. Melanie Trimble, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union Capital Region Chapter, said officers should start documenting every use of force. “How are you going to keep your officers accountable if you don’t have a record?” she said. However, Bennett said after the meeting that he doesn’t like the current regulations, which require police to report any time they touch an arrestee — even to put on handcuffs. He said it would be more reasonable to report every use of force that results in injury or death.
    He said he is also changing city policies to document injuries sustained in custody or before arrest.
    “I didn’t think there was adequate reporting,” he said, noting that the sheriff’s deputies were documenting injuries once the suspect was delivered to the county jail.
    “That’s much too late,” Bennett said. “The investigation has to be started right away, when they’re in the police custody.”
    But he said he doesn’t support reports on uses of “minimal” force.
    Trimble said she plans to examine the use of force records to see how well the officers are documenting all uses of force. The NYCLU took the city to the Court of Appeals to get access to the use-of-force records, before learning that officers had not been keeping any records.
    “I will venture to say there are more serious problems with the department than response time,” Trimble said.
    She and others also said the council must stop the police from exhibiting “criminal behavior.”
    The Rev. Van. I. W. Stuart, pastor of Friendship Baptist Church, said such behavior convinces residents not to cooperate with police.
    “Sometimes we see behavior in police on par with the criminal … that does not give us confidence,” he said, adding that such behavior also erodes public willingness to obey the laws that police aren’t following.
    Instead, he said, the police should “inspire the community to believe that when something goes wrong, they can call the police and something will get done other than opening themselves up for retribution.”
    Some residents have said they won’t tell police about crime they witness, even if they weren’t involved, because their neighbors will attack them for being “snitches.” Mayor Brian U. Stratton has vowed to hold a Stop the Silence summit this winter in response to the “no snitching” attitude in the city.
    Stratton did not attend Monday’s meeting. In fact, only four council members listened to the public comment, while Council President Margaret King, Councilman Mark Blanchfield and Councilman Thomas Della Sala ran part of the Finance Committee meeting in a different room.
    The session was the third in a series run by Councilman Gary McCarthy, chairman of the Public Safety Committee. In previous sessions, police union President Robert Hamilton and Bennett offered their suggestions for improving the department.
Reach Gazette reporter
Kathleen Moore at 395-3120 or moore@dailygazette.com

BRUCE SQUIERS/GAZETTE PHOTOGRAPHER
One of the more outspoken critics of the Police Department during Tuesday night’s meeting, Melanie Trimble, executive director of the state Civil Liberties Union, Capital District chapter, holds a federal report criticizing the city police.

Quoted Text

However, Bennett said after the meeting that he doesn’t like the current regulations, which require police to report any time they touch an arrestee — even to put on handcuffs. He said it would be more reasonable to report every use of force that results in injury or death.

sounds like health care industry----NYS has too many lawyers/legislators with nothing to do and folks who refuse to take personal responsibility for themselves.....

Quoted Text

“We wonder if broader change is needed,” he said. “We wonder if it’s time for the city and county to seriously consider consolidation.”

This has been going on since 9/11---there will be more $$ available if they become accredited too....Homeland security/Real ID etc...these will be TRUE blanket patrols with access.....