One Pelham wants to merge two police forces

[x635 4,066]

One Pelham wants to merge two police forces

By KEN VALENTI

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: April 10, 2005)

PELHAM — In some ways, the story of Pelham town is a tale of two villages — Pelham and Pelham Manor. But in many important ways, they act as one community.

Now some leaders in Pelham village are trying to shift more toward a single municipality, if not all the way. As they see it, the village and its sister, Pelham Manor, could save money by merging their two police departments creating a force with fewer than 60 officers.

The village leaders say there is no need for two police forces, each with just under 30 officers, to serve a total of 11,866 people in an area of 2.1 square miles.

Trustee Peter Potocki worked up a comparison with the Eastchester police department to show that the Pelhams could save perhaps $770,000 a year with a combined department.

"A medium-size department ... has far more flexibility in the use of staff than a small department does," Potocki said.

Pelham Manor leaders, though, doubt they'll see that much in savings, if any at all. They worry that they would be forced to pick up an unfair portion of the burden, and that they'll end up subsidizing a new police station, for which Pelham village has been looking.

"Police facilities are very expensive," said Pelham Manor Trustee Tom Lavin. "We own a police station. We don't need to pay for a new one. We have one that's perfectly fine for our needs."

The leaders from the two villages have managed to agree on one item — the possibility of sharing one police dispatcher for the overnight shift.

Pelham village Mayor Michael Clain has even suggested that the two villages merge entirely, a move that Pelham Manor resisted in the 1970s, when the current village of Pelham was itself formed by merging two smaller municipalities — Pelham and North Pelham. Pelham Manor leaders are not considering merger now, and even Clain holds out little hope that it will happen.

"We're clearly not at the point where actual merger of the villages is going to be seriously considered," he said. "But I am hoping that providing services, or some services, on a joint basis is something that we will continue to work on and consider."

Pelham Manor trustees said they were willing to consider sharing some police duties as long as that doesn't cut into the services they offer.

"If there is some possible way to share expenses or share some part of the service, as long as it doesn't decrease the level of services for our residents, by all means we would do that," said Mayor Lorri Gorman.

Gorman and Lavin said sentiment among village residents runs high against consolidating police departments, and said this was reflected in last month's election. They and Joseph "Jay" Hayes, all Republicans, handily defeated Democratic opponents. To lower taxes, they said, they want to focus on bringing major development to the retail-industrial corner.

The discussions of consolidation and merger have sparked some division between the two separate but closely related communities, wedged into a triangle bounded by Mount Vernon, New Rochelle and the Bronx.

"This town is so tight. Suddenly, there's a dividing line," said Joseph Nunziata, an officer of the Pelham Civic Association, a townwide organization. "Suddenly someone's putting a line in the sand, and that's not what Pelham is all about."

A Pelham Manor resident and an advertising executive, Nunziata has long been active in community activities. He said he would have to be shown that any consolidation would not dilute his village's services.

In 1975, there were three villages. In that year, Pelham and North Pelham joined to form the current Pelham village. Michael Treanor was a trustee at the time and remained on the Pelham village board. He later served as town supervisor in the 1980s. Now a Pelham Manor resident, Treanor said a merger of the villages would be a plus, saving money without otherwise changing people's daily lives.

"It's not brain surgery," he said. "You wake up the next morning and everything's the same. It's easy to do and we got rid of people through attrition."

The villages are connected in many ways, including a school district that covers the entire town.

"It's unfortunate, because everything else in town is unified," said Treanor, a Democrat who lost to Gorman in the recent election.

Gorman said people throughout the town have always managed to act as a single community.

"Having two villages has never prevented us from sharing in those other areas," she said.

Tale of two forces  

• Pelham

Population: 6,400

Area: 0.8 square mile.

Police force size: 27

Police payroll w/overtime: $2,190,784

• Pelham Manor

Population: 5,466

Area: 1.3 square miles

Police force size: 28

Police payroll w/overtime: $2,396,699

[CAM502 6]

Seeing as how if there is a "big" incident in the Pelhams both PD's usually respond anyway (and sometimes New Rochelle), Why Not? Save some money and give it to the FD (lol).

[x635 4,066]

It mentions that that there used to be a seperate Village of North Pelham. Was this a seperate PD and FD too?

I wonder if the FD's will be next?

[CAM502 6]

As far as I know there was a seperate (well at least I was told they had their own cars) PD. FD was one department I belive.

As far as merger of the FD's: no comment.

[Shantz02 0]

Back before the first merger, there was a "Fire District" that served Pelham and North Pelham.

Go here:

http://www.pelhamgov.com/news/00-00-93.html

[Steve 78]

Is there a Pelham Manor and Pelham FD. I know Pelham is a combo Dept have about Pelham manor?

[Pudge3311 5]

Steve,

Pelham Manor is also a combination dept. They dispatch themselves, usually 4 man tours, three FF and an officer. They run only fire calls, no EMS, 2 Engines, 1 & 2, and a Tower Ladder, TL 3

[BIGRED1 71]

Ya the Manor is not conected to pelham at all. we have seperate FD and PD. but i think the merger would be bad for police. the layout now is fine. the responce times are great and there is not need to change it. "if it aint broke, don't fix it" there is gonna be alot of talk about money but guess what, the town taxes barely go to the FD and PD of both sides. it is all school. just a plain bad idea.

[Dr. Zuki 1]

What's the sense to both Pelhams having separate poilce commissioners for such small forces when one commissioner could do the job? Why have two cops on desk duty 24hours a day, seven days a week, when one cop could easily handle both departments? How many walk ins a day do both police depts receive?

[CAM502 6]

Gotta agree with Dr Zuki. It's just not needed. Crime is low and the coverage area is small. Centralizing the PD would would save some money while still providing the same results. The two PD work together on many things as it is so why not have one chain of command? Also when your taxes are going up like they are with this year's school budget why not save where you can? Without infringing on the public good of course.

[Guest aussiegeorge]

pop 11,900 area less than 3 sq miles police staff of 55,man this must be the crime hot spot of the north east to have a staffing like that.

[CAM502 6]

The biggest crime is high scholl kids having fun. LOL

[BIGRED1 71]

biggest crime is someone coming in from the bronx to rob a house at night. it is a safe place to live and i don't think that there are to many cops here. i was born here and grew up here. never had a problem with the police and they all do a good job. north pelham needs the police, more commercial up there on 5th ave. Manor is residential, mellow area.

[CAM502 6]

biggest crime is someone coming in from the bronx to rob a house at night. it is a safe place to live and i don't think that there are to many cops here. i was born here and grew up here. never had a problem with the police and they all do a good job. north pelham needs the police, more commercial up there on 5th ave. Manor is residential, mellow area.

Ok first off I grew up there too and lived there up till a few months ago. The cops in pelham do a great job of hanging out. When there is a call they do respond but not always with the best attitude. The guy coming from wherever ( I didn't like the fact they had to be from the bronx) to rob a house is gonna happen from time to time no matter what! Merging the departments would not decrease the patrols, it will just mean instead of hanging out in the church parking lot on the esplanade they will drive a little more. North Pelham is pretty quiet just to let you know. The big commercial area is also probably the lowest crime area at night, cause it is center of town and lit up. And during the day maybe a shoplifter or youth issues. More commercial on Boston Post Rd if you ask me. If you like higher taxes and redundant police higherarcy( cause in reality you are talking about not haveing double of the bosses) good for you, but it is not in the best interest of the public. This merger is win-win.

Oh BTW if you are worried about a burgler I hear ADT is having a sale. If you think about that is the only real way to combat a break-in, and even they don't always work.