Police Department Staffing Levels:

I ran into one the newer officers tonight in passing I had met once before. I asked how things in the Department were going and if he was still low in seniority. He mentioned they are eliminating a spot in the Police Department. He said they were told it was due to budget issues, but I got the impression it was more internal issues. Is the Town in financial trouble? Seems like a bad time to be eliminating anyone in the Police Department. Are other departments cutting back also? Anyone aware when the budgets are completed and turned in?. I just look at my tax bill and all the new builds around me and think, this does not sound right.

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Originally Posted by FED UP

I ran into one the newer officers tonight in passing I had met once before. I asked how things in the Department were going and if he was still low in seniority. He mentioned they are eliminating a spot in the Police Department. He said they were told it was due to budget issues, but I got the impression it was more internal issues. Is the Town in financial trouble? Seems like a bad time to be eliminating anyone in the Police Department. Are other departments cutting back also? Anyone aware when the budgets are completed and turned in?. I just look at my tax bill and all the new builds around me and think, this does not sound right.

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I believe October 1st (today) is the date the preliminary budget should be ready. I think all department heads were asked to make some reductions.
Wasn't there a large reduction in sales tax revenue during Covid?

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Originally Posted by FED UP

I ran into one the newer officers tonight in passing I had met once before. I asked how things in the Department were going and if he was still low in seniority. He mentioned they are eliminating a spot in the Police Department. He said they were told it was due to budget issues, but I got the impression it was more internal issues. Is the Town in financial trouble? Seems like a bad time to be eliminating anyone in the Police Department. Are other departments cutting back also? Anyone aware when the budgets are completed and turned in?. I just look at my tax bill and all the new builds around me and think, this does not sound right.

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The 2021 tentative budget has the same amount of officers as the 2020 budget
1 Chief
2 Captains
8 Lieutenants
1 Detective Lieutenant
7 Detectives
3 School resource officers
29 Patrol

Hi Gorja,
Sorry for the delayed response I was out town for work. Let me walk over and ask my neighbor about this again. He knows the guy I saw. Maybe I missed something in passing. Let you know, Thank you

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Originally Posted by FED UP

Hi Gorja,
Sorry for the delayed response I was out town for work. Let me walk over and ask my neighbor about this again. He knows the guy I saw. Maybe I missed something in passing. Let you know, Thank you

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Maybe, this is what you were informed about.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e3a2579b_o.jpg

Hi Gorja,
Yes this was the issue I had asked about, was not really aware of the whole story at first. Im curious were did you find that? Is there somewhere to see these communications? I just assumed everything was in the minutes that I see posted on line. I was also told this really saves very little money at the end of the day due to the way the contract works for the PD if not could cost almost the same. Thanks again for your help.

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Originally Posted by FED UP

Hi Gorja,
Yes this was the issue I had asked about, was not really aware of the whole story at first. Im curious were did you find that? Is there somewhere to see these communications? I just assumed everything was in the minutes that I see posted on line. I was also told this really saves very little money at the end of the day due to the way the contract works for the PD if not could cost almost the same. Thanks again for your help.

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In the website communications for the upcoming board meeting.

This week's resolution #9:

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION WAS OFFERED 9 BY SUPERVISOR RUFFINO, WHO
MOVED ITS ADOPTION,

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER TO WIT:

WHEREAS, in a letter to the Town Board dated October 1, 2020, Chief of Police William J. Karn Jr., has requested that the Town Board eliminate one (1) Lieutenant position from the Police Department and move that funding to pay for an additional Patrol Officer position, and

WHEREAS, there currently is one (1) funded and vacant Police Lieutenant position in the Police Department due to the recent retirement of a Police
Lieutenant, and

WHEREAS, the unexpended funding in the 2020 Police Department budget resulting from the vacated Lieutenant position is approximately $30,518, and

WHEREAS, the amount needed to fund a new Police Officer position in the Police Department budget for the balance of 2020 is approximately $17,152,

NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED, that one (1) Police Lieutenant position is hereby eliminated from the Police Department, effective immediately, and that the unexpended funding for that position be transferred and added to funding for one (1) additional Police Officer position in the 2020 Police Department budget and the remaining balance be transferred to the Contingency Account in the Police Fund budget as follows:

Before:
P3120.100 Lieutenant (8) $694,864
P3120.100 Patrol (29) $2,155,454
P1990.411 Contingency $25,000

After:
P3120.100 Lieutenant (7) $608,007
P3120.100 Patrol (30) $2,229,780
P1990.411 Contingency $25,000

BE IT FURTHER, RESOLVED, that the Supervisor of the Town of Lancaster shall be authorized to take all necessary action to implement the foregoing.

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Originally Posted by FED UP

Hi Gorja,
Yes this was the issue I had asked about, was not really aware of the whole story at first. Im curious were did you find that? Is there somewhere to see these communications? I just assumed everything was in the minutes that I see posted on line. I was also told this really saves very little money at the end of the day due to the way the contract works for the PD if not could cost almost the same. Thanks again for your help.

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I don't think it was necessarily a money saving move. I think there was more a need for a patrolman than a Lieutenant

https://lancasterny.gov/document-cen...2020/file.html

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Originally Posted by gorja

I don't think it was necessarily a money saving move. I think there was more a need for a patrolman than a Lieutenant

https://lancasterny.gov/document-cen...2020/file.html

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Thanks for the information. I guess the employees were told this was a cost saving measure, which clearly it does not appear to be. Thanks Again!