Wake Up Town of Cortlandt, You Need a POLICE DEPARTMENT!

[RWC130 594]

Wake up Town of Cortlandt,

You need a Police Department!

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the New York State Police and the Westchester County Police do an outstanding job patrolling the Town of Cortlandt. They are very professional law enforcement agencies. Are they enough?

The New York State Police patrols the Town of Cortlandt on a full time basis provided the Troopers have adequate manpower and are not tied up on other calls, arrests, court, etc.

No one will admit it but there is just not enough State Troopers to cover such a big area like the Town of Cortlandt. 34.5 miles they can only do so much.

As for the Westchester County Police the same scenario, great job however they only patrol the Town of Cortlandt between 8am and 12am. Who is left patrolling at 3am when we are most vulnerable to burglaries, robberies, assaults, acts of vandalism, car accidents, drunk drivers, etc? The New York State Police.

Have you been to the Cortlandt State Police barracks in recent weeks at night? The doors are locked and the sign says closed. Troopers are out on patrol but no one at the station.

In 1999 the Town of Cortlandt Police Department was disbanded after long political battles between the Town of Cortlandt Supervisor Linda Puglisi and then Police Chief Robert Pavone. Who was punished? Not Linda Puglisi, Not Robert Pavone no one but the residents and business owners in the Town of Cortlandt. Was it worth it? How much is the safety and protection of the residents in the Town of Cortlandt worth?

I support the New York State Police and the Westchester County Police 100 % but It’s time to wake up Town of Cortlandt. You need a Police Department now more than ever.

RWC

[mikeinet 37]

Wow, interesting. I agree with everything you say.

Why is the barracks unmanned? I don't really know much about the area... was it previously? Is it a substation, or a small PSAP?

There's no contractual agreement to provide X resources to the town at any given time? Seems like the town should have at least done that then they disbanded their on PD

[COMMANDCHIEF 4]

The chance of Courtland getting a PD back is slim to non I have to say. I think the residents of Courtland would have a better chance asking the Superintendant of the State Police for more staffing for that station.

Troopers doing town patrol is nothing special. All over northern NYS the state police covers far more area than 34 miles, and I have to say that is often HALF the patrol area a single trooper is responsible for. Where Cortland differs is that they have a higher populaiton in that area which leads to higher volume of calls for service. The upstate trooper my have half the people in that 70 sq mile patrol area where Cortland would have more.

I've heard of the SP having sub stations manned only part of the time. But I was unaware Cortland was one of them.

[RWC130 594]

Mikeinet,

Town of Cortlandt has been and always will be patrolled by the New York State Police. They do a great job! But.. the call volume is going up and up NYSP can only do so much. They have limited manpower.

Westchester County Police patrol the Town of Cortlandt from 8am to 12 am. (1) Police Officer (1) Car as in agreement with the Town of Cortlandt. They took over when Town of Cortlandt Police were disbanded.

Both the NYSP and WCPD run there @sses off all day long.

Anyone with a scanner or someone involved with PD,FD, or EMS know the truth. NYSP and or the WCPD units have to race from one side of the town to the other. It's just not safe for the Police Officers and the public.

The 911 PSAP which once was SP Cortlandt is now TMC formally know as SP Hawthorne. When you Dial 911 in the Town of Cortlandt you get a Dispatcher at TMC in Hawthorne who at best has limited geographic knowledge of the area.

Just monitor the call volume NYSP 155.505 or WCPD 155.310 "27-Charlie" the Town of Cortlandt car.

I think the residents really have no idea what goes on behind the scenes. Maybe this will get some attention in a positive way...that's my goal.

Town of Cortlandt needs a Police Department!

[Guest]

RWC,

EXCELLET POST! ALL VERY TRUE.

HATS OFF TO NYSP AND WCPD BUT MONITORING THE CALL VOLUME AND UNITS NOT AVAILABLE YEAH CORTLANDT NEEDS A POLICE DEPARTMENT.

MAYBE $70,000 THE OEM DIRECTOR MAKES IN TOWN OF CORTLANDT COULD BE USED FOR A POLICE OFFICER(S)?

[WAS967 97]

Is it a substation, or a small PSAP?

It's not just a substation, it's a Zone HQ! But I digress. ToC gets what they pay for. If they wanted more police coverage, they could contract with WCPD for additional units, maybe even around the clock. Maybe people need to get the Town Board to understand that. One car on the road for 16 hours (and one guy in the ToC station) isn't enough IMHO.

[Oswegowind 17]

And then try to write a ticket in Cortlandt...oh I know this one and I know that one...is apparently all you get...so then you have to be careful not to piss someone off and get relocated or something...

[Remember585 815]

Pehaps, just perhaps...

The Town of Cortlandt could work an agreement with Buchanan PD to cover more area in the Montrose / Verplanck region. And, perhaps, the T of C could also make arrangements with the Croton PD to cover the same areas the Croton FD & EMS cover. That would ease some of the burden on SP and WCPD.

Good article Rob, saw it in the NCN today.

[JimE119 0]

I agree Croton Police should cover the same area as Croton Fire Dept. which goes into Cortlandt. Its not a tremendous area and could be more efficiently covered. Mount Airy Road East,Mount Airy Road West and those few roads that branch off. Buchanan Police could also cover a good portion on their end.

[Guest S2758]

Croton Police have been used on occasion to back up SP in the Mt Airy Road section (i.e. the Watergate) and Buchanan PD has provided back up in the Verplanck area. One of thier units backed me up as recently as last week. And in return we have (and will continue) to back up Buchanan and Croton. As for those claims that T/Cortlandt has an increasing call volume, where exactly are you getting your statistics?

And for those of you who can remember T/Cortlandt PD, do you remember how many units they typically had on the road and the fact that many shifts were left uncovered due to a majority of their force being out on disablity. (Remember this is a department who had a certain member out on disability - and still is - who fell out of his chair while sitting at his desk.)

And for those of you examing our post coverage, do you know how many units we typically have on the road?

[Remember585 815]

Genereally speaking, doesn't SP run at least four units in the Cortlandt area?

[stiltow 1]

THE PROBLEM IS THE PEOPLE WHO CALL IN BULLSHIT CALLS THAT ARE NON EMERGENCIES AND HAVE POLICE OFFICERS TIED UP .WE SHOULD HAVE 311 FOR SOME OF THE CRY BABIES

[mikelouf2 0]

I stop for a mva in Town of Cortlandt, it took a half hour for the state police to show up they had him on the other side of town I think cortlandt need a P.D. A.S.A.P.

[Guest cuffsnhoses]

Why does the Town of Cortlandt need to bring back a part time police department? For the people that don't remember when the town decided to get rid of the PD, a quarter of them were out on disability (even the Chief experienced this ill effect, and how did he get hurt...giving a press conference). I remember someone telling me that the PD would put one officer out on the midnight shift (and we all know where he was......ZZZZZ). I believe that Town of Cortlandt would have kept their PD, if it had better supervision at the top. Hopefully they will get back a PD and help the State Police keep that community safe. Stay well and safe to all.

[dadbo46 50]

Oh good. Add another PD with what 40, 50 60 sworn officers ?Do you have any idea how much that will cost ? Then build a station, buy cars, guns, radios, etc.......Is Cortlandt as big as Yorktown ?...have the same type of incidents and therefore, needs ? Got any lakes in Cortlandt ? How about a dive team ? Need detectives ? How about a Chief, a Captain or two a few Lieutenants....get the point ?

PD's in Westchester need to be consolidated.....better coverage, more specialized units, better chance for advancement.

BTW - Buchanan PD backs up someone ?