Rank Crime Index City / Population 1. 3,686 Schenectady, NY / 66,135 2. 3,004 Albany, NY / 97,856 3. 2,980 Troy, NY / 50,129 4. 2,674 North Adams, MA / 13,708 5. 2,565 Stockbridge, MA 6. 2,184 Gloversville, NY / 15,665 7. 2,044 Chatham, NY / 1,770 8. 1,949 Pittsfield, MA / 44,737
Hummm Visitor....
Albany has approx. 30,000 more people and a lower crime index.
For that matter Pittsfield has 20K less people and 1/2 the crime.
I'll say it again, someone needs to audit the DSS-crumbling-Galesi fortress on Broadway. The ease of the abuse of this system brings the lowlifes from all over. The police know it, the City knows it yet the County does nothing.
Rachel - Albany has 325 police officers, as well. Do you think that might make a difference in how well the PD can address crime issues?
Wow, good point. I just did some quick math and it's approx. 1 officer for 300 people in Albany versus 1 officer for approx. 513 people in Schenectady. That's just my fuzzy math. I'll bet the real numbers are even more striking.
Oh, and here in Rotterdam we have 1 officer for 630 people.
"Holy crap!! Did she EAT Bob??"
Not everything on the Interweb is truth. Only a gullible fool would believe otherwise.
I am neither Left wing nor Right wing. I am gro-wing.
Wow, good point. I just did some quick math and it's approx. 1 officer for 300 people in Albany versus 1 officer for approx. 513 people in Schenectady. That's just my fuzzy math. I'll bet the real numbers are even more striking.
Albany is 22 square miles and 5500 per square mile, Schenectady is 11 square miles 6000 per square mile.
"First Department on the griddle was Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple‘s presentation of his Department’s $78 million Public Safety budget. One hour and 24 minutes after he began answering questions, the sheriff was thanked by the Chair and the legisaltors present."
In Albany, with 97,856 people..crime index 3,004 and a public safety budget of $78 million. With, according to visitor 325 officers.
In Schenectady, with 66,135 people..crime index 3,685 and a public safety budget of $26 million. According to the SDP website, the department has 170 sworn officers plus 75 civilian volunteers (245 total) and it's the 7th largest police dept in NYS.
Hummm....guess we now can understand why our crime rate is so high. Interesting Visitor...very, very interesting.
Here's another factor in crime fighting that no one talks about:
Years ago, I went for jury duty and as prospective jurors were questioned we were told that the case involved Schenectady police, and in light of the problems with the SPD, would anyone have trouble taking the testimony of a cop as truth over what some lowlife was saying? Guess what? Citizen after citizen said that they would be doubtful of an officer's sworn testimony due to the bad reputation of the department!
So a cop can go to great lengths to solve a crime, put together carefully collected evidence, get his act together and go into court, only to see all his hard work go for nothing because a jury gives the benefit of the doubt to some skel. So these bad cops do damage a lot farther and cost a lot more than anybody thinks about.
Here's another factor in crime fighting that no one talks about:
Years ago, I went for jury duty and as prospective jurors were questioned we were told that the case involved Schenectady police, and in light of the problems with the SPD, would anyone have trouble taking the testimony of a cop as truth over what some lowlife was saying? Guess what? Citizen after citizen said that they would be doubtful of an officer's sworn testimony due to the bad reputation of the department!
So a cop can go to great lengths to solve a crime, put together carefully collected evidence, get his act together and go into court, only to see all his hard work go for nothing because a jury gives the benefit of the doubt to some skel. So these bad cops do damage a lot farther and cost a lot more than anybody thinks about.
Totally agree Madam..it's the name of this thread...'cop problems'. Hopefully these individuals are going to weed themselves out with their own stupidity. Looks like Hotaling is off to a good start and Kilcullen was there to make sure he was locked out. Kilcullen is slowly bringing our reputation back up...it won't happen overnight.
Have to admit though, SPD is under budget. Looking at the Albany #s...the City is at a loss.
Totally agree Madam..it's the name of this thread...'cop problems'. Hopefully these individuals are going to weed themselves out with their own stupidity. Looks like Hotaling is off to a good start and Kilcullen was there to make sure he was locked out. Kilcullen is slowly bringing our reputation back up...it won't happen overnight.
Have to admit though, SPD is under budget. Looking at the Albany #s...the City is at a loss.
Rachel, you pretty much nailed it. Perception is certainly a problem. People don't want to forget the past problems and as a result the perception doesn't change. Let's not forget that it wasn't that long ago we had a cocaine dealer as a police chief. I'm confident that Brian will do what's needed to change that perception. It's just not going to happen overnight.
Re: Budget. You're right again. We're way under budgeted for public safety. The question though is how does it get rectified without raising taxes. There's the conumdrum.
One other thing. Those who would compare Schenectady's crime rate to other municipalities, should consider using cities with similar populations. A quick look at census data got this:
Niagara Falls.....50,193. Utica .....62,235. Troy .....50,129. Schenectady......66,135. Mount Vernon....67,292 New Rochelle.....77,062 White Plains......55,853
Also population shouldn't be used solely for comparison. Socioeconomic makeup, budget and size of the police force should also be considered. I'm in agreement that there's a lot of work to be done.
"Holy crap!! Did she EAT Bob??"
Not everything on the Interweb is truth. Only a gullible fool would believe otherwise.
I am neither Left wing nor Right wing. I am gro-wing.
Re: Budget. You're right again. We're way under budgeted for public safety. The question though is how does it get rectified without raising taxes. There's the conumdrum.
I disagree. The high tax rate that is taking money out of the pockets of residents to pay for public safety may actually be driving people to commit property crimes like burglary and black market trade like drug dealing in order to make ends meet. It's not a conundrum but a self fulfilling prophecy.
Lets not forget, most of this public safety money leaves the city at the end of their shift and reinvested into the surrounding suburbs through property taxes and commerce.
Government offices have their own police, at least the state ones do. When you have cops that do not behave you have to spend money on a commissioner who does the job no one should have to do. Bennett has just gotten the legal go-ahead he needed to do something about these problems more quickly. How he deals with this latest escapade is really a test of whetherhe is worth it to beleaguered taxpayers. Remember, some dimwits on the city council were talking about eliminating his job to save money, before his work is done. Kilcullen is reportedly a decent guy, I don't know him personally. He can't change a department's bad reputation if some of his men are currently out there making sure it is deserved. I hope he makes short work of this guy. Who needs it?
I disagree. The high tax rate that is taking money out of the pockets of residents to pay for public safety may actually be driving people to commit property crimes like burglary and black market trade like drug dealing in order to make ends meet. It's not a conundrum but a self fulfilling prophecy.
Lets not forget, most of this public safety money leaves the city at the end of their shift and reinvested into the surrounding suburbs through property taxes and commerce.
Most of the money is leaving for the suburbs regardless of where the officer lives....people in Schenectady shop in the suburbs...very few places to spend your money in the city.
Most of the money is leaving for the suburbs regardless of where the officer lives....people in Schenectady shop in the suburbs...very few places to spend your money in the city.
I was not only talking about shopping but also property tax. Let's say that of the $26M spent on public safety, I will bet $10 to $12 million is for officer salaries and benefits. Very little of that money stays in the city. The majority of that money leaves the city. That cannot be said for the suburban PD's. Many in the Rotterdam PD live on McMansions in Rotterdam and pay property tax on them. Even though I believe the RPD is grossly overpaid, at leastt a portion of those saleries are going back into Rotterdam.
Schenectady doesn't hire a community police force, they are basically hired contractors with no connection to the community, except for the paycheck.
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