“I know everyone thinks ‘We can call the State Police.’ But no. We don’t have the manpower either.”
That’s the message State Police Zone Captain Richard Anguish shared—again—with members of supervisors’ Law Enforcement Committee Tuesday.
The issue remains coverage in the Village of Cobleskill, down to just two cops.
“As of Friday, we’ve collectively been handling the Village of Cobleskill,” Sheriff Ron Stevens said.
“We are covering their calls, but we’re limited in the amount of time we can spend there.”
Captain Anguish said the same—again.
Unfortunately, “Cobleskill has become another dot on the map that we are responding to. We’ll do the absolute best we can, but everyone else in the county is wanting the same amount of coverage,” he said, and the priority will be emergency calls.
Three former Cobleskill PD officers have already joined the Sheriff’s Office and they’re looking at an unusual arrangement for funding a fourth:
The Village of Cobleskill would pay $75,000—salary and benefits—to fund a Sheriff’s deputy—no strings attached—as a way to reduce response time.
Members of the Law Enforcement Committee approved the idea in concept Tuesday; it will go before the full Board of Supervisors August 18.
“The officer would not be assigned to the village,” Sheriff Stevens said.
Of the former Cobleskill Police Officers joining the Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Stevens said, “Clearly, we need to look at these employees. They’re certified.”
The three hires include a sergeant, an officer out on maternity leave, and a provisional hire, Undersheriff Baker said.
The fourth—the one who would fill the position funded by the village—is also an application from the Cobleskill PD, he said.
Not everyone is sold on the idea, though.
Broome Supervisor Steve Weinhofer warned “Once you take their [Village of Cobleskill] money, you’re not totally separate. There’s a tie there,” afraid the deal would essentially be promised coverage.
“But it’s still our officer,” said Richmondville Supervisor Jeff Haslun.
“I had that conversation with the Mayor,” supervisors chair Bill Federice said. “I made it clear she should not have that expectation.”
Related story in this week's Times-Journal.