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Editorials
Lancaster Councilman Ronald Ruffino read a correspondence that the town had received from the Lancaster-Depew Substance Abuse Coalition concerning the need for a Youth/Family Services Division that was being established within the Town of Lancaster Police Department to improve and streamline present town substance abuse agencies.
According to the communication, in the last 10-15 years much growth and change has occurred in community and it has become apparent that the services directed toward the families and youth need to be improved and streamlined. “If we are to effectively confront these new demands, direct intervention and overreach is required.”
“We have many entities in our town that service the youth and families in our town, but each function has its own benefit. To ensure a more efficient use of services, coordination between all entities would be advantageous.”
The correspondence stated that lack of communication between the divisions has created negative outcomes at times. This could be prevented through the creation of a new Youth Division Family Services within the police department. There are two School Resource Officers (SRO’S) that service the Lancaster High and Middle schools.
The coalition would coordinate the efforts of several town organizations that include the police department, Family support Center, Youth Court, Problem Solving Court and schools to ensure that families and children that are having problems find the support they need.
According to the Lancaster Bee, the coalitions goal is to have police resources re-allocated to create a chain of accountability and follow through from the police through the courts, through counseling, to create a safety net for children so that they don’t end up in the prison system later on in life.
Ruffino declared that the coalition has the support of the Police Chief and the officers who will be involved and support of everyone who was at last week’s coalition meeting. “There should be no initial cost,” said Ruffino. “Even if it deters one child from a life of crime, we’ve done our job.”
Supervisor Robert Giza interjected that there were around 15 people at last week’s meeting and the room was just electrified by people that wanted to get the kids in our community through rough times; helping in preventing them getting into trouble or getting them out of trouble. Giza thanked all the volunteers that were at the meeting for their participation. “It’s not going to cost us any money. We already have the mechanism; we are putting the mechanism together, so that everyone knows what the other person is doing.”
Resident addresses board
Depew resident Dan Beutler asked the board what roll Depew is playing in the coalition. Supervisor Giza responded that Depew was always invited into the town’s programs. “Sometimes they choose not to do it, for whatever reason,” stated Giza.
Youth Bureau Director John Trojanowsky interjected that the Depew Superintendent of Schools was in the coalition, the Director of Counseling Services and several school members.
As a county substance abuse counselor for 15 years, Beutler commended the coalition for their effort, but wanted to ensure that the Village of Depew kids would be included in the program. But I would have to ask what role the Lancaster SRO officers will play in the program?
Trojanowsky repeated that the coalition has representatives from the schools, the police, the courts…
“The Depew police,” interjected Beutler?
“The Depew police are invited to all our meetings,” replied Trojanowsky.
“Are members of the Depew Village Board invited,” asked Beutler?
“I’m sure we have invited them, but I don’t know who from the Village of Depew has been participating,” said Trojanowsky.
Beutler then asked whether the SRO officers would be compensated for their time.
“I can’t answer that one,” responded Trojanowsky.
Comments
Councilman Ruffino and Supervisor Giza made statements that there would be no “initial costs to establish the program and that “it’s not going to cost us any money.” Yet when Beutler asked whether the SRO officers would be compensated, Youth Bureau Director Trojanowsky replied that he couldn’t answer that one. And, no board member proffered an answer. Hmmm?
At this time of national and state financial crisis, when people are losing their jobs and homes, when our taxes are increasing because of uncontrolled town and school district spending, when there are abundant town and nonprofit agencies providing substance abuse programs to help families and kids in trouble, taxpayers will have a problem with this program unless there is no cost involved.
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