Police Abolishment and Transfer of Function (2015 LGAA)

Village of East Syracuse (Winner)
County: Onondaga County
Population: Less than 10,000
Village Hall: (315) 437-3541

In 2009, the Village of East Syracuse was awarded a NYS Department of State Local Government Efficiency Grant to study a proposed police consolidation with the Town of DeWitt. Under that study, Fiscal Advisors found that the Police budget was 20% of the overall General Fund budget, yet over 37% of the Village taxes were attributable to the police. In October 2012, a proposal to abolish the Village of East Syracuse Police Department failed by a vote of 521 to 300.

Despite this outcome, the Town and Village Boards continued to work together to address residents’ concerns. This effort, coupled with the economic condition and encouragement from the State, paid off when in April 2014, village residents approved (333 to 199) the proposal to abolish the Village Police Department, transfer the function of to the Town of DeWitt Police Department, and to further enter into a contract with the Town for additional police services.

The Town of DeWitt is a larger, more established and better equipped police department able to more completely respond to both business and residents’ needs. For example, in April 2015, the local bank on the Village’s main street was robbed. Within ten minutes there were six police vehicles on the scene and the suspect was apprehended within hours. Concerns expressed regarding the loss of community policing and not knowing the officers have never been realized. This initiative is estimated to save the Village $1.2 million and the tax rate proposed for the 2015-2016 Village Budget is 15% lower than last year’s, and the lowest Village tax rate in ten years.

The key to the success of this proposal was the development of an intermunicipal agreement (IMA) for extended police services. This IMA outlined how the officers and resources of the Village would be transferred to the Town, and most importantly, assured the Village’s full-time officers a job with the Town of DeWitt. Furthermore, the Town’s PBA Agreement affords them higher wages and better benefits. The IMA also addressed the transfer of the Village’s police equipment and patrol vehicles to the Town and the use of the Village Municipal Building as a Town of DeWitt substation, which provides a visible and convenient police presence in the Village. The Village residents went from having five full-time officers and a part-time Police Chief to a force of 38 full-time police officers trained and experienced in criminal investigations, youth-services, and a full contingency of police services.

With the ever-rising costs for pensions and health benefits, as well as negotiated terms for the PBA, the Village was stifled. The Village was unable to consider other means for economic development or community revitalization because of the financial burdens for emergency services. Other employees had not received an increase in wages for three years while the Village struggled to contain other costs. The abolishment of the Police Department affords the Village the chance to catch up and look at other services it can provide to the community.