County adopts provision to ease local police takeovers

[Disaster_Guy 96]

Westchester County adopts provision to ease local police takeovers

November 30, 2012

The Journal News

http://www.lohud.com.../NEWS/311300105

Currently, the law allows county police to provide only supplemental and “special” services or necessary aid to local police departments, but not total delivery. The new legislation eliminates that provision, so if a municipality contracts with the county, the Westchester Department of Public Safety can provide total police protection and services to that community.

As Ossining town Supervisor in 2010, Borgia signed a shared-services agreement that resulted in county police taking over all duties of a local police department. The provision that the new law eliminates “was a stumbling block that we had to work around,” she said.

...

The legislation is supported by Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino, who is expected to sign it next week.

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I never knew about that provision. I'm glad they are modernizing it, and hopefully this will allow the County Police to expand and streamline law enforcement in Westchester County even more.

Just a question, since the County PD has provided exclusive law enforcement to County properties, parks, and select highways under the old law, does this mean that it didn't apply to County properties?

I really, really hope that the County's budget doesn't hurt WCPD's chances to expand in more communties.