William J. Karn, Jr., Chief of Police of the Town of Lancaster had requested the creation of one (1) additional position of Police Captain, Full-Time in the Town of Lancaster Police Department. The Lancaster Town Board by 4-1 vote approved a resolution to make it happen. Proclaiming himself to be the only true fiscal conservative on the town board at a previous meeting Supervisor Ron Ruffino voted ‘no’ and before the roll was called offered his explanation why.

Ruffino: I am going to be voting against this resolution not because I am against it, but I look at the overtime of the police officers, which is way up there, and I feel there is more of a need to create another policer officer position. A lot of our police officers are being forced to work overtime and it would help relieve them. It is the financial part of me and to give the police officers relief.

Councilman Leary: The police Chief has stated his need for a police Captain in previous town board meetings, and, we are moving to add another police officer onto the force that will increase the number of police officers.

Ruffino: I think these two are replacements. (Referring to resolutions to hire two police officers - replacements)

Leary: No there’s a third one we are trying to get based on our program with the schools.

Comment

After Supervisor Ruffino thanked the police, town highway department, the Emergency Management Director and Parks and Recreation for their coordinated effort to keep the town roads cleared by Sunday and protecting community safety, his ‘no’ vote is enigmatic to the hiring of a third Captain – especially when the cost was approved in the recently approved budget.

Ruffino voted ‘no’ to the addition of a Captain at the November 7th town boarding at the final budget presentation – when a budget adjustment was added to the budget by resolution and again at the final General Fund budget resolution. He stated at the time it was not the time to spend money for a third Captain when patrol relief was needed from forced overtime, where police overtime amounted to $546,000 as of November, predicting to be $700,000 by year’s end.

Ruffino, who had earlier declared he would be working with the county and state to get FEMA funding to help defray the costs of the storm, saving taxpayers money, asked Leary whether the cost to hire a third Captain and a new hire police officer would be offset by grant funding. Leary answered ‘no’ to the captain hiring and attempts to get grant money for a new officer position was being hampered by new criteria established by the government to receive such funding.

In all the theatrics I was surprised no information was provided by the town for the reason for such an outlay for police overtime expenditure, or why no resident asked for an explanation as well. Was this the exception to the norm and where is the money coming from to cover the difference from the 2022 budgeted $380,000 in overtime for police, detectives, and dispatch?

In 2012, $270,000 was budgeted in overtime for a police force of 61 - 30 sworn police officers and 11 dispatch. In 2017, overtime was budgeted for $282,000; there were only 28 patrol officers and a total police staff of 60. In 2021, overtime was budgeted at $380,000 – 29 patrol officers, 11 dispatch, Police chief, 2 Captains, 8 Lieutenants, 1 Detective Lieutenant, 7 detectives, and 3 School Resource Officers – 62.

$405,000 is budgeted for police overtime in 2023. Patrol (29 officers), $310,000; Detectives, $50,000; Dispatch, $45,000. 52 sworn officers, 12 dispatch – 64.

Police Department Budgets

As a fiscally responsible minded individual I appreciate Supervisor Ruffino’s stance on being fiscally conservative on spending taxpayers money. Police appropriations (spending) in the 2023 adopted budget make up 40.15% of the General Fund budget of $31.83 million - $12.78 million.

What that spending number is in comparison to former budgets helps determine if the town is right sized in police services, and whether Supervisor Ruffino is correct is declaring the town cannot afford to spend money on a third Chief but should spend it on hiring another patrol officer to relieve patrol officers of forced overtime.

2012
012General Fund Budget - $23.18 million
Police Budget - $9.29 million
Police Budget % of General Fund Budget – 36.66
Department Revenues – $4.36 million – 21.27% of appropriations

2017
General Fund Budget - $25.34 million
Police Budget - $9.75 million
Police Budget % of General Fund Budget – 38.48
Department Revenues – $5.92 million – 15.11% of appropriations

2022
General Fund Budget - $29.89 million
Police Budget - $12.13 million
Police Budget % of General Fund Budget – 40.52
Department Revenues – $7.14 million – 16.62% of appropriations

2023
General Fund Budget - $31.83 million
Police Budget - $12.78 million
Police Budget % of General Fund Budget – 36.66
Department Revenues – $4.36 million – 40.15% of appropriations

Proportionately the police budget is growing according to the rest of the town departments. As the town grows more services are required and more growth brings in more revenue to offset those costs.

Police Chief Karn has stated good reason for the addition of a third Captain. Supervisor Ruffino is correct in declaring the need for another patrol officer as there are only 29 now and there were 30 years ago. Neither Ruffino or Leary have openly or clearly defined their positions on needs and budget impacts. Neither have they broached the subject on why the overtime spending in 2022 will approach $700,000 at years end, and where only $380,000 was budgeted.

Is 2022 the norm where actual budgeted overtime is exceeded every year, and by that much? Where does the money come from to fund the difference? The police reserve fund?

If hiring another patrol officer is justified and would significantly reduce overtime spending, why wait for grant funding? No one asks questions at the town board meetings anymore and the town shares little with the public.

So much time is spent fussing over $10,000 in a dog control department with a budget of $159,000 and so little on a department with a near $13 million budget. And in all this hullabaloo, union contracts have yet to be settled.