As Carmel Touts Possible Police Merger, Other Municipalities Not as Enthusiastic
The March 11 letter requesting a study into a countywide police merger from Town of Carmel officials to Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell may have caused a stir, but what has followed is a healthy dose of skepticism from other municipalities that have independent police agencies.
Town of Kent, Village of Brewster, and Village of Cold Spring officials questioned whether losing their own department for a county police force would actually save them any money and if the police services that residents in those municipalities are accustomed to would remain the same if local control was lost in favor of the county taking charge.
Representatives from each town and village, police chiefs, Sheriff Don Smith and Odell all met Monday morning at the county office building to discuss the next steps in conducting a study to see if a police merger is plausible and if it would provide cost saving relief.
“The municipal police departments other than the town of Carmel are managing their departments, they believe they’re fiscally responsible to their constituents, they believe that the services that are being delivered serves their residents the best,” Odell said in an interview after the meeting. “The Town of Carmel’s position is they can’t afford their police department anymore.”
During a March 24 Kent town board meeting, Supervisor Maureen Fleming said the issue of police consolidation has been previously discussed in Kent and other towns in Putnam several times.
Fleming said she thinks the decision on a proposed police merger should be decided by a voter referendum, and only after a thorough study is actually completed. She vowed Kent would be a “strong voice” as discussions about a merger move ahead.
While Carmel has struggled with its budget because of police expenses, Fleming said Kent has been able to keep police costs at a reasonable amount, frugally spending on the department when needed.
“We know how to do it in Kent,” Fleming said regarding the police costs. “And unfortunately maybe they don’t know how to do it in Carmel.”
Councilman Paul Denbaum said he typically would be in favor of less government and more consolidation, but his concern is “we will hand the reins over to the county and in four years time the county will be spending more money on less of a police force in this town than we’re spending now.” In the past two county budgets, the cost for the sheriff’s department has increased $1 million each year, Denbaum said.
Councilwoman Penny Ann Osborn added she liked the accessibility a local police force provides. When a concern comes to OsBorn, she is able to call police chief Alex DiVernieri and discuss the matter with him promptly.
Brewster Mayor Jim Schoenig said in an interview a study has to prove to him a police merger is a cost efficient measure and village residents would get the same quality policing they are used to. He added because the village force is made up of part-time officers, costs are kept low compared to other municipalities.
In his last campaign for reelection, Schoenig ran with a stance that the village should maintain its own police force, while his opponent Richard Allen wanted to disband the department and let the sheriff’s department take over. Schoenig won his reelection handily.
“My guys have done a great job in cleaning this village up,” Schoenig said. “And you’re going to have to sell me hard to prove to me that this is going to work and that it’s in the best interest of everybody.”
Outgoing Cold Spring Mayor Ralph Falloon also said he’d be hesitant to lose the village police department. While he believes in consolidation, Falloon said the village already has an “incredibly affordable police department.”
Falloon said he supports the village participating in a feasibility study, but he “doubts it would be feasible for the Village of Cold Spring” noting a police merger may not cover the village as well and at the same low price. He also pointed out the local control the village government has over the police department is important.
Carmel Supervisor Ken Schmitt previously said he believed a police merger would result in savings for taxpayers and would provide the same or even better policing for town residents.
Next steps would include town and village boards sending letters to Odell about what they would like to see included in the consolidation grant the county is now pursuing. Odell said she’s working with state Sen. Terrence Murphy’s office to get all the information needed for the grant process and is in touch with Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress that could assist in the study.
“The study would have to be independently done,” Odell said. “We know we would have to put an (request for proposal) out to find the right consulting firm that really understood and would be objective to what we were looking for in the study.”
