Creating countywide police force makes sense for Sch’dy
The city of Schenectady’s police force has had its ups and downs. The department has faced a mountain of challenges trying both to reduce crime and to restore and maintain the confidence of the public. In recent years, the city has suffered not only economic distress, but also from a series of public-image crises involving its police. The people of Schenectady — be they residents, day workers, or visitors — deserve the best possible protective services. Consolidation of county, city and town law enforcement agencies into a new entity to be known as the “Schenectady County Police Department” is the most expedient method for deploying and delivering necessary protective services. Since the inception of the concept of public policing, there has been a long and interesting history of efforts to reform and professionalize America’s police departments. Generally speaking, the greatest strides with respect to these needs have been obtained through unification efforts. Many of the first urban police departments were created as a result of the merger of day and nighttime watch organizations. Yet, substantial growth in police professionalism has often been impeded by local politics. This is evidenced by the tendency throughout the nation for small cities and towns to insist upon the maintenance of their own police force with little regard to costs or efficiency. These forces seem to represent a type of sacred symbol of autonomy for the constituencies being served. Nevertheless, the city and county of Schenectady can take a giant leap forward into the 21st century by recognizing the need to change this interpretation and perform the necessary steps to weave together a new organization to deal effectively with crime problems. Consolidation is a way for the existing city force to overcome its limited staffi ng and its lack of diversity. As the central part of a newly configured countywide agency, the force could greatly increase its effectiveness and take a major step towards achieving an ethic of accountability. A consolidated force would have the budgetary resources to modernize and approach police-community relations and crime prevention in a holistic manner. Significantly, the new county police department would be positioned to confront crime as a countywide community problem.
MARTIN A. GREENBERG Schenectady The writer is an assistant professor of Criminal Justice, Behavior and Law at The College of Saint Rose.
Yes, there would be so much more diversity by consolidating because all of the minorities Glenville, Niskayuna, and rotterdam have on the police force. I do not remember seeing one minority in any of those deparments. How does that make the department more diverse?
So, Marty thinks that things would be so much better in the city if there was less (as a percentage) of the cops covering the city beat were actually from the city and would rather the other locals would come down there instead? I think that would be part of the reason that some of the others would have decided not to apply downtown, because they didn't want to work there. That's always one problem with consolidation. People already have their places that they want to be. They don't want to work somewhere else. If they did, they would put in an application there and just get the job, not wait for the two to come together, wouldn't you think?
Schenectady county police department Chief Bobby Hamilton will see that the patrols are in the right places. he will hire the best boys in blue and promote them. he is good union man who will protect his boys from the false reports of doing wrong. Dom will work for Bobby and wait for his turn to be boss some day Dom will learn from Bobby how to work to protect the poeple.
told ya,,,,consolidation consolidation consolidation.......then there is the next step of which no one on the 'take' or gain will care about as long as the $$ keeps rolling and that is homeland security/patriot act.......sell out,,,,go ahead and sell out......there is a much bigger picture than their stomachs care about......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
By MARV CERMAK, Staff writer First published in print: Tuesday, March 10, 2009
There are suggestions from various points of the hemisphere about abolishing the problem-plagued Schenectady Police Department in favor of a county takeover of the operation.
It's not going to happen.
Exhibit A: County Legislature members have talked about consolidated countywide police dispatching and centralized prisoner booking for at least 20 years. Since the politicians can't make these minor changes, hope for county control of complex city police operations is bleak at best.
Exhibit B: About 30 years ago, I was on a column-writing binge, pushing for countywide cops as an economical replacement for six local departments. Town police chiefs and town elected leaders told me privately they would strongly resist giving up their own power base.
Exhibit C: Throw out the previous exhibits because the police-controlled Conservative Party is the real sticky wicket. Democrat and Republican leaders sell their souls for Conservative cross-endorsement of their candidates. Anyone believing politicians will rock the police boat also must believe in the tooth fairy.
While in Saratoga Springs and Albany last weekend, folks I know told jokes about Schenectady police. Unfortunately, the situation is no laughing matter.
gadfly, where are you? We believe ... we've seen the light!
The Conservative Party Executive Board will tell you that the party is not controlled by the police union. Apparently, Mr. Cermak sees things differently. Coincidentally, the most recent campaign disclosure (Jan 2009 Periodic) filed by the Schenectady County Conservative party shows a $4,000 expenditure for legal expenses paid to the same law firm that represented the Schenectady PBA in contract arbitrations (see links below). This payment was reportedly made after the arbitration proceedings had concluded.
gadfly's assertions that the Democrats control the Conservative party may be inaccurate. Mr. Cermak contends that the Conservative party owns the Democrats and the Republicans!
In looking at Schedule F - Expenditures filed in the 10 day post primary (2008 ) report for the Schenectady County Conservative party, I found a $1000 expenditure payable to the Veteramo Scholarship Fund for advertisement. Anyone know what this fund is and how it is related to the political party activities? (I executed a Google search but it returned no pertinent links.)
In looking at Schedule F - Expenditures filed in the 10 day post primary (2008 ) report for the Schenectady County Conservative party, I found a $1000 expenditure payable to the Veteramo Scholarship Fund for advertisement. Anyone know what this fund is and how it is related to the political party activities? (I executed a Google search but it returned no pertinent links.)
Marv is right. This is all a waste of time and huge distraction from Stratton's total failure to lead the SPD. Or lead anything else but in huge tax increases. He put in Commis Bennett to clean up the City Department-how is that going?
Even Marty doesn't want this to happen. His beloved NPD would be reassigned to Hamilton Hill and resign in about 10 minutes. Only the horrible Gazetto would promote this, from Saratoga County it seems like a peachy idea?
NOTHING is a waste of time when the end result effects the taxpayers. And all of this, from government, to law enforcement, to political parties to unions, have a major effect of the taxpayers, and no one seems to care. There is no one or nothing out there that represents the best interest of the taxpayers. What a shame!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Consolidating the entire County isn't the only option.. There are only 2 municipal police departments remaining in Saratoga County; Saratoga Springs and Mechanisville. Corinth was the most recent to be absorbed by the County Sheriffs Department.
With Rotterdam's Dom Dag. rumored to be the odds on favorite to become the next County Sheriff, Rotterdam may be the first to opt to pay the County for their police services at a greatly reduced cost. That would be an easy political sell to the cheapskate residents of Rotterdam(myself included), and with Dags relationships with the RPD's top brass, he wouldn't meet much resistance, with his ability to appoint people to high ranking positions within the Sheriffs Department. This would ultimately end the last Republican stronghold in Schenectady County.
Sheriff Dagostino, Deputy Sheriff James Hamilton, and PBA Union Chief Bobby Hamilton
Making nice with the Conservative Party, and casting Mertz aside, who was the only one to recognized the threat of the Conservative Party, will banish the County Republicans from the political landscape for decades to come.
Logged
Marv is right. This is all a waste of time and huge distraction from Stratton's total failure to lead the SPD. Or lead anything else but in huge tax increases. He put in Commis Bennett to clean up the City Department-how is that going? 
