Better Utilization of Westchester County PD

[x635 4,066]

I know County PD's ESU, which carried one of the County's first "Jaws Of Life", has been defunct for a while now.

Anyone know of any plans to bring it back? Personally, I feel that County PD providing a North and South sector E.S.U. with special capabilties would supplement police-related tatical operations for the smaller communties.

Also, does County PD have a S.W.A.T. team? If so, do they have apparatus besides the armored personel carrier?

I feel that County PD is a great supplemental resource to local PD's, and for the taxes paid in this County, communities should use the services they provide to the max.

Instead, it seems many communities duplicate resources. In fact, some jurisdictions have over 4 PD's covering them. If Westchester was to replace local PD's with County PD or intergrate County PD better, this would save a great deal of money and provide for greater career-path oppurtunities for all officers, as well as, if done properly, a better response.

I don't know how Nassau and Suffolk work, but I believe they have County PD's as well.

[x129K 1,393]

They disbanded their ESU?

I remember back in the Glory Days me and The Hammer Rothschild did a pinjob on the Saw Mill at Executive and Billy made sure I had the HONOR of getting on the tool with the County Cop....it made my day.

[Guest TOYBUFF911]

Westchester County Police operate a special operations division. The specifics and organizational structure is probably better answered by Chris from WCPD aviation. I have had the pleasure of working with the WCPD SRT team and they are true professionals. They operate a part time team with officers assigned to units throughout there department and they are very highly trained, in many different areas and considered to be some of the best in the business. Equipment assigned to swat teams is kept usually low key especially deployment vehicles for operational safety. They do operate the old bomb squad truck and some other marked units. WCPD with all its specialty units provide outstanding service to the residents of Westchester County. Bringing back ESU (old 25 truck) would be nice for the northern county, but lawmakers and budget cuts and the medical center cutting funding, forced its destruction.

Aviation, Bomb Squad, Crime Scene, SWAT/SRT,Marine, Patrol,ETC

Pictures were posted a few months back during fleet day at Playland

[ex-commish 490]

Westchester County Police operate a special operations division. The specifics and organizational structure is probably better answered by Chris from WCPD aviation. I have had the pleasure of working with the WCPD SRT team and they are true professionals. They operate a part time team with officers assigned to units throughout there department and they are very highly trained, in many different areas and considered to be some of the best in the business. Equipment assigned to swat teams is kept usually low key especially deployment vehicles for operational safety. They do operate the old bomb squad truck and some other marked units. WCPD with all its specialty units provide outstanding service to the residents of Westchester County. Bringing back ESU (old 25 truck) would be nice for the northern county, but lawmakers and budget cuts and the medical center cutting funding, forced its destruction.

Aviation, Bomb Squad, Crime Scene, SWAT/SRT,Marine, Patrol,ETC

Pictures were posted a few months back during fleet day at Playland

Wasn't losing the toll both on the Hutch also a factor in cutting ESU?

[27east 19]

...I don't know how Nassau and Suffolk work, but I believe they have County PD's as well.

Nassau and Suffolk both have police districts, and the residents in the district pay a tax for it. Suffolk County PD only covers the 5 west towns. The 5 East End towns did not elect to join the district. Some villages in both counties also have their own police departments, Hempstead (Nassau) I believe is the largest.

The counties held a referendum to decide if the residents wanted to disband the town departments and then form a county force. Villages who had their own PDs could join if they wanted.

[helicopper 1,050]

TOYBUFF is exactly right. The Special Response Team is the County PD's SWAT and is already available to any jurisdiction in the County. They work and train with other SWAT teams, the bigger PD's and the smaller PD's - it all depends on the situation. Yonkers and Mt. Vernon have done joint operations with the SRT when executing multiple warrants and local jobs that don't have a team have used them. So as far as supplemental resources go, this is one where coordination, training, and interagency cooperation does actually exist!

Members do have primary assignments in other units, the SRT is an on-call resource except for training days which are scheduled throughout the year.

The County's ESU was never a tactical unit - it's focus was always on the rescue side - and seeing it disbanded was a major disappointment for me. Unfortunately, the reality was (and still is) that as other agencies developed their own capabilities for extrication and rescue, the ESU became a duplication of resources and unlike so many duplicative resources that exist around the County, this one was cut.

Seth, I share your frustration about having 2500 cops in the county working for 45 different agencies but if you thought regionalizing the fire service or EMS was hard - this might take the cake! It will never happen - too many local and special interest groups (including a great many of the PD's) that would never support the concept.

[Billy 68]

TOYBUFF is exactly right. The Special Response Team is the County PD's SWAT and is already available to any jurisdiction in the County. They work and train with other SWAT teams, the bigger PD's and the smaller PD's - it all depends on the situation. Yonkers and Mt. Vernon have done joint operations with the SRT when executing multiple warrants and local jobs that don't have a team have used them. So as far as supplemental resources go, this is one where coordination, training, and interagency cooperation does actually exist!

Members do have primary assignments in other units, the SRT is an on-call resource except for training days which are scheduled throughout the year.

The County's ESU was never a tactical unit - it's focus was always on the rescue side - and seeing it disbanded was a major disappointment for me. Unfortunately, the reality was (and still is) that as other agencies developed their own capabilities for extrication and rescue, the ESU became a duplication of resources and unlike so many duplicative resources that exist around the County, this one was cut.

Seth, I share your frustration about having 2500 cops in the county working for 45 different agencies but if you thought regionalizing the fire service or EMS was hard - this might take the cake! It will never happen - too many local and special interest groups (including a great many of the PD's) that would never support the concept.

Is the Town of Cortlandt the only Town in Westchester that utilizes the County PD for patrol? I think it is but Ive thought that some small towns and hamlets like Lewisboro or North Castle would benefit from some type of localized County Patrol as well.

[redmack 0]

Is the Town of Cortlandt the only Town in Westchester that utilizes the County PD for patrol? I think it is but Ive thought that some small towns and hamlets like Lewisboro or North Castle would benefit from some type of localized County Patrol as well.

The Town of North Castle Police Department is a full time agency that consists of 38 members. The North Castle Police Department has a number of speciailized units including accident investigation and reconstruction, emergency services, and other investigative units. Additionally, the members of the Department are trained as Emergency Medical Technicians. The Lewisboro PD however is a part time agency supported by the New York State Police.

[27east 19]

Is the Town of Cortlandt the only Town in Westchester that utilizes the County PD for patrol? I think it is but Ive thought that some small towns and hamlets like Lewisboro or North Castle would benefit from some type of localized County Patrol as well.

Town of Cortlandt pays Westchester County PD for one car (27C) from 8am to Midnight. NYSP has a barracks in Cortlandt as well as a station in Mohegan Lake.

Edited August 8, 2007 by 23piraf

[helicopper 1,050]

Is the Town of Cortlandt the only Town in Westchester that utilizes the County PD for patrol? I think it is but Ive thought that some small towns and hamlets like Lewisboro or North Castle would benefit from some type of localized County Patrol as well.

Yes, for patrol services Cortlandt is the only town that utilizes the County PD and that is to augment the State Police. Lewisboro, North Salem and Pound Ridge used the County Police decades ago - before the merger between Parkway PD and the Sheriffs Office - but that died off in the late 70's or early 80's.

27C is the Cortandt car - we don't have a 27H (yet!).

[Billy 68]

The Town of North Castle Police Department is a full time agency that consists of 38 members. The North Castle Police Department has a number of speciailized units including accident investigation and reconstruction, emergency services, and other investigative units. Additionally, the members of the Department are trained as Emergency Medical Technicians. The Lewisboro PD however is a part time agency supported by the New York State Police.

Thanks for that info.I think North Salem is what I had in mind but typed North Castle.

[DOC22 1]

North Salem is also a Part Time PD, like Lewisboro, supported by SP Somers. We had the contract with Westchester, during the transition from the constables who had red lights and sirens in personal vehicles which they used for patrol. When the town, went with full fledged Police Officers, the organization of the NSPD, hiring and training process took some time, so they contracted with WCPD in thr interim.

[RWC130 594]

I remember as a little kid (yes, I was little once!) the 29 Car out of Blue Mountain.

I use to drive PO Harbolic crazy. RIP

You had the "29 Car" Blue Mountain and "27 Car" Croton Point

Post 29 was like the South Bronx in the Summer.

2 or 3 Police Officers and 3-4 SPR's assigned to the park.

SPR's Seasonal Park Rangers at that time were called SPO's Special Police Officers

and that is how they got the nickname "Specials"

Having been a SPR (SPR #711) several years ago and knowing members of WCPD I can honestly say

it's a great Police Department and continues to grow.

Some of the various WCPD units are as follows:

Patrol Division, which patrols County Parkways such as the Bronx River Parkway, Cross County Parkway,

Saw Mill Parkway, Hutch Parkway, County Facilities, and Town of Cortlandt.

-Crime Scene Unit

-Detective Division

-Special Operations

-Accident Investigation Unit

-Bomb Squad

-K9

-Aviation Unit

-SWAT/SRT

-Marine Unit

-Mounted Unit

-SIU-Forensics

-Crime Lab

-TLC Enforcement

-Internet/Sex Crimes Unit

-DWI Program/Trailer

-Radio Communications Trailer

-Homeland Security Unit

-Special Task Force Unit

-Narcotics Unit

-Pistol Permit Unit

-Warrant Unit

It goes on and on and on....

Also

-Sheriff / Civil Division

-Volunteer Reserve Deputy Sheriffs

-SPR Seasonal Park Rangers

The EQUIPMENT the Westchester County Police has is AMAZING!

[helicopper 1,050]

They ought to hire you as the PR guy!!! Maybe do a little recruitment on the side, who knows?!?!?!

I remember as a little kid (yes, I was little once!) the 29 Car out of Blue Mountain.

I use to drive PO Harbolic crazy. RIP

You had the "29 Car" Blue Mountain and "27 Car" Croton Point

Post 29 was like the South Bronx in the Summer.

2 or 3 Police Officers and 3-4 SPR's assigned to the park.

SPR's Seasonal Park Rangers at that time were called SPO's Special Police Officers

and that is how they got the nickname "Specials"

Having been a SPR (SPR #711) several years ago and knowing members of WCPD I can honestly say

it's a great Police Department and continues to grow.

Some of the various WCPD units are as follows:

Patrol Division, which patrols County Parkways such as the Bronx River Parkway, Cross County Parkway,

Saw Mill Parkway, Hutch Parkway, County Facilities, and Town of Cortlandt.

-Crime Scene Unit

-Detective Division

-Special Operations

-Accident Investigation Unit

-Bomb Squad

-K9

-Aviation Unit

-SWAT/SRT

-Marine Unit

-Mounted Unit

-SIU-Forensics

-Crime Lab

-TLC Enforcement

-Internet/Sex Crimes Unit

-DWI Program/Trailer

-Radio Communications Trailer

-Homeland Security Unit

-Special Task Force Unit

-Narcotics Unit

-Pistol Permit Unit

-Warrant Unit

It goes on and on and on....

Also

-Sheriff / Civil Division

-Volunteer Reserve Deputy Sheriffs

-SPR Seasonal Park Rangers

The EQUIPMENT the Westchester County Police has is AMAZING!

[RWC130 594]