Town Of Ossining In Contract Negotiations With Village For Police Force

[Flashpoint 94]

OSSINING, N.Y. -- The Town of Ossining will begin negotiations with the Village of Ossining to use its police force.

Ossining Town Supervisor Susan Donnelly made the announcement Tuesday night. The town had contracted with the Westchester County Police for the past four years. The town and village must complete negotiations by Oct. 15.

http://ossining.dailyvoice.com/police-fire/town-ossining-contract-negotiations-village-police-force

[JM15 386]

So guess they don't like the service from County PD?

[Bnechis 3,961]

So guess they don't like the service from County PD?

Or they think the village will save $$$

[BFD1054 1,552]

I can't recall, but was this considered prior to the County Police "take-over?"

[frost025 94]

I guess it's cheaper in the long run to have it's own p.d. then to contract with county. It's all a bed of roses in the beginning we will save you money , but after time the price goes up because know we are in.

[10512 214]

They should figure out a plan and stick with it. If they change now, are they going to renegotiate with someone else a few years down the road? I am sure disbanding a department, contracting with another, then switching a few years later will probably not be a good long term plan.

Edited September 18, 2014 by 10512

[Bnechis 3,961]

I guess it's cheaper in the long run to have it's own p.d. then to contract with county. It's all a bed of roses in the beginning we will save you money , but after time the price goes up because know we are in.

They should figure out a plan and stick with it. If they change now, are they going to renegotiate with someone else a few years down the road? I am sure disbanding a department, contracting with another, then switching a few years later will probably not be a good long term plan.

In 2010, Ossining town contracted with Westchester County police and saved an initial $600,000, though some were hopeful at the time that much more could have been netted.

A police merger involving Ossining town and its villages of Ossining and Briarcliff Manor had initial promise but did not proceed even though a consultant estimated the savings could be nearly $3 million.

The town was paying roughly $3.4 million a year for police, but cut its expense after contracting with the county to about $2.3 million a year.

Still out there is the town police headquarters built in 2005 on North State Road that is unused and now for sale at $3.5 million. The town owes about $3 million on the one-story structure.

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/politics/2014/06/22/police-mergers-spending-case-by-case/11100709/

Now did the new contract proposal:

The county, which has been under contract to patrol the town for nearly four years, has proposed continuing the service for between $2.46 million and $2.7 million a year. The total cost of the four-year contract would be $10.3 million compared with $7.5 million to contract with the village.

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/politics/2014/07/18/ossining-weighs-police-proposals-village-county/12847425/

So why should the town go with the village? $2.8m lower cost in the proposal over 4 years. The big question is what level of service will be provided and can the village really provide the level they are proposing for the price they are asking?

[velcroMedic1987 330]

Typical politics. The village doesn't have to hire all the cops from the town like the County did (including the chief) so they will save all that money. This is just like the EMS contract days when one day you were wearing one patch and the next day you wearing another because contracts changed. Never saw it done with police though.

[INIT915 1,119]

Typical politics. The village doesn't have to hire all the cops from the town like the County did (including the chief) so they will save all that money. This is just like the EMS contract days when one day you were wearing one patch and the next day you wearing another because contracts changed. Never saw it done with police though.

That's not the case here. There are no Town cops to hire, they all already work for the County.

[velcroMedic1987 330]

That's not the case here. There are no Town cops to hire, they all already work for the County.

That's what I mean. It's easy to underbid the county when you don't have the ten or twelve cops on your payroll. The county has them.

Imagine how many paramedics could be put in service for the cost of 10-12 cops? Wow!

[16fire5 693]

Imagine how many paramedics could be put in service for the cost of 10-12 cops? Wow!

Unless those paramedics would take over policing in the unincorporated portion of the Town of Ossining I don't see the point.

[Piranha174 37]

The following link is to the WCPD PBA's response to the decision www.pbawcpd.org

The following is a link to the Town of Ossining and the questions raised of the village's proposal http://www.townofossining.com/j25/news/375-press-release-regarding-provision-of-police-services-now-available-online

There are some very valid points raised and it will be interesting to see if the Village is able to meet them.

[INIT915 1,119]

I'm a little confused why anyone is concerned with the OT. County in general is a high-OT agency, so whichever agency gets the contract, OT is going to be significant.

[Piranha174 37]

I'm a little confused why anyone is concerned with the OT. County in general is a high-OT agency, so whichever agency gets the contract, OT is going to be significant.

The county hires OT to cover mandatory backfill posts ie. vacation, sick time, etc... to not leave sectors open, sort of what the NYSP should do. The village is proposing to fill two sectors on straight OT on every tour.

[Bnechis 3,961]

I'm a little confused why anyone is concerned with the OT. County in general is a high-OT agency, so whichever agency gets the contract, OT is going to be significant.

Sounds like the concern is that with a smaller dept. the OT may cause officers to work way too many hours. Even their plan is that village officers will cover the town on OT. That sounds to some like they will work a shift and then when tired work another one in the town. Maybe less efficient.

When I have seen the Lohud County PD OT #'s many of those making high OT are in special units, which would not affect the Ossining coverage.

[INIT915 1,119]

The county hires OT to cover mandatory backfill posts ie. vacation, sick time, etc... to not leave sectors open, sort of what the NYSP should do. The village is proposing to fill two sectors on straight OT on every tour.

I'm not suggesting OT shouldn't fill those posts, I couldn't agree with you more. My point is it involves a ton of OT. The underlying reason aside, OT is OT. My question was does it matter much which agency is paying the OT, county versus village?

[INIT915 1,119]

Sounds like the concern is that with a smaller dept. the OT may cause officers to work way too many hours. Even their plan is that village officers will cover the town on OT. That sounds to some like they will work a shift and then when tired work another one in the town. Maybe less efficient.

That seems like a potentially logical reason. How big is the village force? I mean, what is pool of officers that will be dividing up this overtime? The press release didn't really clarify if those five new positions could possibly be transfers as opposed to new hires. That would eliminate that five-month gap.

[INIT915 1,119]

So, according to the VOPD website, they are 57 sworn members. I can't tell how up to date that is. Assuming you have a chief and a captain or two, you have over 50 officers available for the overtime pool. If there are 35 overtime shifts a week to fill (2 day, 2 evening, 1 midnight), it would mean each officer would have to pull an OT shift every 10 days or so?

[RWC130 594]

Did WCPD write the Town Supervisor's friend a ticket or arrest a close friend?

WCPD is an outstanding police agency.

[SECTMB 612]

Sounds like a great opportunity for some of the Village officers, many of whom may be on the older pension system. Since OT is the stated plan, who can criticize them for taking advantage of the OT to increase their earnings toward their final pension calculations.

Somehow, in the long term, I don't think the taxpayers are going to be saving any money.

[amr6334 16]

Did WCPD write the Town Supervisor's friend a ticket or arrest a close friend?

WCPD is an outstanding police agency.

Im thinking great point..........I also agree with the outstanding police agency. So what does the difference between County Police and County Sheriff???

[Bnechis 3,961]

Main difference is the head of the County Police is appointed not elected

[fire 1 asst chief 49]

WCPD took all of the Town of Ossining's officers including the chief who was made a captain.

If the County looses the contract then they should no longer need the personnel they hired from the Town of Ossining.

In theory these people should be laid off.

[Bnechis 3,961]

WCPD took all of the Town of Ossining's officers including the chief who was made a captain.

If the County looses the contract then they should no longer need the personnel they hired from the Town of Ossining.

In theory these people should be laid off.

Depending on the deal and Civil Service Law they may not be able to. Also its been 4 years so at least the officers will be Sr. to newer hires. So they would not get laid off. if reductions are needed its last hired.

[velcroMedic1987 330]

So, according to the VOPD website, they are 57 sworn members. I can't tell how up to date that is. Assuming you have a chief and a captain or two, you have over 50 officers available for the overtime pool. If there are 35 overtime shifts a week to fill (2 day, 2 evening, 1 midnight), it would mean each officer would have to pull an OT shift every 10 days or so?

Does that take into account the regular village posts that they need to cover?

[INIT915 1,119]

Does that take into account the regular village posts that they need to cover?

No, it would be impossible to know if any OT is used for the existing posts, unless someone from VOPD chimes in here. But, if we assume even a little OT is currently used, having an officer do OT at this rate (once or twice a week) is still considerably less than many LE agencies.

[INIT915 1,119]

Depending on the deal and Civil Service Law they may not be able to. Also its been 4 years so at least the officers will be Sr. to newer hires. So they would not get laid off. if reductions are needed its last hired.

The ironic thing is those officers in theory could make contact with VOPD if they are interested in transferring back, no?

[Monty 35]

My experience is primarily with OFD, who work well with both agencies - and has members from both agencies. As a resident I have been happy with the Town PD, WCPD and OPD.

Personally I feel confident that the service will remain at least as good - I doubt I'll see any tax savings but I'm sure that policing will be less for the Town by going with OPD. I haven't analyzed the reasons for the quotes but maybe the average WCPD makes more than the village? Maybe the County has more overheads? Extra time / gas coming from their barracks?

As for the OT vs straight pay for a new officer, I'm not sure there is that much difference when you take in to account the benefits of a new hire (vacation, holiday pay, medical etc).

I don't know the real significance, but OPD was recently re-accredited. FWIW, they also have an excellent, humorous and informative presence on Facebook - which it seems many in the community appreciate.

Edited September 28, 2014 by Monty

[Remember585 815]

Toying around with police services to save a couple of bucks is a risky gamble. It doesn't matter which PD is patrolling the Town of Ossining (or anywhere, for that matter), when something happens there is going to be those criticizing the agency and crying for it to change.

...And saving money on one thing only translates into pissing it away somewhere else...

Good luck to OPD, and thanks to the WCPD for their services the past few years.

[aviator70 16]

So, according to the VOPD website, they are 57 sworn members. I can't tell how up to date that is. Assuming you have a chief and a captain or two, you have over 50 officers available for the overtime pool. If there are 35 overtime shifts a week to fill (2 day, 2 evening, 1 midnight), it would mean each officer would have to pull an OT shift every 10 days or so?

Thereby eating up the savings of the contract difference, so there will be no savings. VOPD said they will only hire 5 officers. Sorry, in the end, there will be no savings, and they will not get the same level of service.