1-16-18 Board meeting

[Lee Chowaniec]

Thanks Matt for following up. My only concern with Szwartz is a score of 85 on the exam.
It seems to me that Lancaster use to look for the cream of the crop.

When young Giza took the test, one person received a 100, a big group of 95's and another group of 90's.

Interesting find indeed!

It has been my understanding that the process to be followed is from the civil service list for Erie Police Departments and where one of the individuals within the three highest scores has to be interviewed and ultimately hired based on the test score, physical eligibility, psychological testing and interview skills.

It appears the two new officers were hired because as they are already on the force and experienced they met those requirements and are not required to attend the six month Police Academy – and where the Town of Lancaster would be responsible not only for the cost of the academy but also for six months worth of salary during that time.

With the hiring of the first officer (from Rochester) Councilman Ruffino alleged the Town may incur some Police Academy cost payback – his being on the force but a matter of months. According to your post, the second officer’s (Lockport) test score was not the norm for usual hiring consideration.

This further leads to my consistent questioning in prior posts: “What makes these two officers so special that we hired them outside our county limits? Still waiting for that simple answer. Should the hiring decision be based on temporary cost savings or on the most qualified candidate who will be serving the community for years to come?

[gorja]

This is part of an article from the Lockport Journal regarding the hiring of Officer Szwartz in December 2015.
Wonder if his fellow former Alden resident and hired as a Lockport officer at the same time will fill the next opening?

Adam Szwartz

Szwartz, 21, is also an Alden native. He's a 2015 graduate of Niagara University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in criminology and maintained a dean's list-qualifying 3.70 grade point average.

Szwartz scored an 85 on the Civil Service exam and will attend the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy starting Feb. 1. He won't work as a Lockport police officer until after he graduates.

Szwartz said he is looking forward to finishing academy so he can start "helping the community, mostly. I'm very community oriented. (Lockport is) a great place to start off a police career and hopefully move up through the ranks and gain the experience I need. I think it's a good place to do it."

http://www.lockportjournal.com/news/...16219d0d2.html

[shortstuff]

This is part of an article from the Lockport Journal regarding the hiring of Officer Szwartz in December 2015.
Wonder if his fellow former Alden resident and hired as a Lockport officer at the same time will fill the next opening?

Adam Szwartz

Szwartz, 21, is also an Alden native. He's a 2015 graduate of Niagara University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in criminology and maintained a dean's list-qualifying 3.70 grade point average.

Szwartz scored an 85 on the Civil Service exam and will attend the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy starting Feb. 1. He won't work as a Lockport police officer until after he graduates.

Szwartz said he is looking forward to finishing academy so he can start "helping the community, mostly. I'm very community oriented. (Lockport is) a great place to start off a police career and hopefully move up through the ranks and gain the experience I need. I think it's a good place to do it."

http://www.lockportjournal.com/news/...16219d0d2.html

Is Szwartz currently a Lockport police officer? If so, why the (re)location hire to Lancaster?

[shortstuff]

Well said Shortstuff! There are many to point out .I remind you of the shuffling of a Chris Giza Job hiring at the Village of Lancaster job that he had struggles with and could not complete.Chris was then " traded " to the Village of Depew for a job which he sits at now( Not even a resident). The town and village of Lancaster had 2 people involved in that "jobs trade". Put the puzzle together now. Who is Chris Giza's father? Who did Ron Ruffino thank for his campaign success? Debts must be paid ! Matt, I do not blame you for these trades or hirings but can you see why there is reason for concerns and lack of transparency?

Greg, Chris is not on the Lancaster police force? Chris is Bob Giza's grandson right?

[Greg Sojka]

Chris Giza is not a Lancaster police officer, Chris Giza is now an employed non resident by the village of Depew highway deptment. Bob Giza is his grand father. Ron Giza is his father. To some readers on this forum it sounds like Abbott and Costello "who's on first". The sad thing is this has been political business as usual for a long time. Matt Walters I suggest you tread lightly as you have seen what happens to those who do not just go along.

[gorja]

Former town attorney said this in regards to the Giza police appointment-

“Chief Gill doesn’t have to explain to the board or anyone else who he’s [going] to pick,” he said. Recommendations are kept “out of the board’s hands” so politics don’t play a role, he added.

Was he saying that if Chief Gill started to suffer some senility issues, the board should or would still rubber stamp any recommendations he would make?

[mark blazejewski]

I want to assert that I believe that the Lancaster Police Department is top-notch.

With that being said, these comments, apparently by a former town attorney, to me, seem rather bizarre:

Gorja: Former town attorney said this in regards to the Giza police appointment-

“Chief Gill doesn’t have to explain to the board or anyone else who he’s [going] to pick,” he said.

Chief Gill is the un-elected chief of a suburban police force, he is not an elected county sheriff.

Sheriffs are directly accountable to the voters.

I think that in the case of an appointed police chief, voters entrust to the Town Council, and only to the Council, ultimate oversight of the chief and his department. That voter mandate does not seem to include an indifferent or dutiful rubber stamp.

Also, it is rather hard for me to take these remarks overly seriously:

Recommendations are kept “out of the board’s hands” so politics don’t play a role, he added.

IMHO, neither the Council, nor any of other "powers-that-be," did not seem so morally particular regarding the role played by the department's union membership during the 2015 campaign.

Just sayin'.

[Lee Chowaniec]

Former town attorney said this in regards to the Giza police appointment-


Was he saying that if Chief Gill started to suffer some senility issues, the board should or would still rubber stamp any recommendations he would make?

I was at that meeting when the former Town Attorney made that comment. It wasn’t the only time this individual commented on matters where he was found incorrect in his opinion.

At that police appointment, and like many more appointments before it, the town board took an active interest in the recommendations made by the then Police Department. And well they should have as they are the body that by resolution approves the recommendation/request made by the Police Chief for appointment. ‘Trust but verify’ should come into play here to validate the best (most qualified applicant is chosen). Checks and balances, etc.

The Highway Superintendent and the Town Clerk are elected positions and as such have the authority to hire or fire at their discretion. The Police Chief position is an appointed one and serves at the will of the town board. It is the board that by resolution considers and approves or denies the Chief’s recommendation – as Councilman Ruffino voted ‘no’ on the first police officer’s appointment.

So to say that Chief Gill is not obligated to provide any information or reason as to his recommended for appointment to the board is unrealistic and naive. As is the thought that the town board would be disinterested in learning the names of the top candidates and the process utilized to vet the applicants and the reason for the recommendation by the Chief. The Chief is the expert, but to say that he should have total control in the process is illogical.

And to say that keeping the town board out of the recommendation process for political reasons is asinine, as everything is political. Again, ‘trust, but verify’!
Lastly, for some to take a position, as it here appears, that the public, a taxpaying public who pays the bills should have no say in the process is reprehensible.

BTW – Still waiting for an answer as why we hired two police officers outside our county district? What made them the most qualified when the test score of the one appointed was an 85?

Just tell me that such information is privileged and I will pissoff. Well, maybe not until calling Mr. Freeman.

[gorja]

It is my understanding that we still have one vacancy to fill and the chief and captains are working hard to fill that position as soon as possible.

Matthew J Walter
Lancaster Town Board
716.901.5340

Looking back to June 5, 2017 in the communication sections of the Town board agendas, I could only find one resignation letter for the LPD. In the November 6th agenda, Erin Myers had given notice of a retirement effective January 25, 2018.

IF DiMino and Drewniak were patrolman prior to their promotion to lieutenant, then one could assume that one of them filled the retirement spot (Myers) and the other filled the additional lieutenant position that was included in the 2018 budget. Then, one could also assume that the two new officers hired (Carcaci and Szwartz) would be replacing DiMino and Drewniak.

Remember: These are assumptions. Please correct

Where did the other vacancy come from? Did someone verbally resign or was someone terminated?

[Lee Chowaniec]

Looking back to June 5, 2017 in the communication sections of the Town board agendas, I could only find one resignation letter for the LPD. In the November 6th agenda, Erin Myers had given notice of a retirement effective January 25, 2018.

IF DiMino and Drewniak were patrolman prior to their promotion to lieutenant, then one could assume that one of them filled the retirement spot (Myers) and the other filled the additional lieutenant position that was included in the 2018 budget. Then, one could also assume that the two new officers hired (Carcaci and Szwartz) would be replacing DiMino and Drewniak.

Remember: These are assumptions. Please correct

Where did the other vacancy come from? Did someone verbally resign or was someone terminated?

It is my understanding that the hiring of the two police officers filled two retirement positions. The current staffing remains at 49 sworn officers.

The future addition will fill a vacancy that was not filled during the Fudoli administration. The future police officer addition has been budgeted for in the 2018 budget.

Unfortunately, you had to spend time going through many documents to get information that should have been included in the language of the recent resolutions – as it was in the past.

[gorja]

Originally posted by Lee Chowaniec:
Unfortunately, you had to spend time going through many documents to get information that should have been included in the language of the recent resolutions – as it was in the past.

Yes Lee, there was more transparency in the resolution language as in the example below.

This is the language used when promoting Patrolman Ziders to the Lieutenant position
WHEREAS, a vacancy exists in the Town of Lancaster Police Department in
the position of Police Lieutenant due to the retirement of Lieutenant John Robinson, III,

[shortstuff]

Yes Lee, there was more transparency in the resolution language as in the example below.

This is the language used when promoting Patrolman Ziders to the Lieutenant position
WHEREAS, a vacancy exists in the Town of Lancaster Police Department in
the position of Police Lieutenant due to the retirement of Lieutenant John Robinson, III,

Mark,

Is this the husband (Roberson) who is married to the Robinson who is a Trustee on the Village of Lancaster's board?

[mark blazejewski]

Mark,

Is this the husband (Roberson) who is married to the Robinson who is a Trustee on the Village of Lancaster's board?

The village and town police forces have been replete with the Robinson name for decades. I do not know if they all simply share(d) a common name, or DNA line.

I do know that the Mr. Robinson to whom you referred is a detective, and the rank sounds right, so in that connection, I assume you are correct.

[shortstuff]

The village and town police forces have been replete with the Robinson name for decades. I do not know if they all simply share(d) a common name, or DNA line.

I do know that the Mr. Robinson to whom you referred is a detective, and the rank sounds right, so in that connection, I assume you are correct.

OK, I mean it is common practice that the connections exist from town to town. We see the repetitive pattern.


I have a question which relates to who pays for what, in the example Matt W. provided in the hire of the Rochester officer where we might have to pay for some of the expenses; say the officer in our town did not work out but was given an opportunity in a neighboring town, does the taxpayers still pay for that officers pension after he is no longer with the force but works in Depew (for example)?