Town Council adds third new police officer to 2007 budget

GREENBURGH, N.Y.– The Greenburgh Town Council is pleased to announce the addition of a third new police officer to the 2007 preliminary budget.  The Town Council was able to add the officer to the preliminary budget without any change in the tax rate or without any additional allocation from the fund balance due to other adjustments that have been made to the budget.

“Public safety has always been, and will continue to be, a top priority for the Town Council,” Councilwoman Eddie Mae Barnes said.

With the additional officer, Chief of Police John Kapica said he would be able to expand the community policing post to Grasslands Road, which would incorporate the Mayfairarea of town.  Currently it ends at Old Tarrytown Road

The community policing officer’s post area is a subsection of a larger sector, served by patrol vehicles.  When not responding to a specific call, the community police officer is tasked with increasing contact with citizens.  Fairviewand Hartsdale also have community policing officers.

This further expansion of the police department will eventually result in a higher visibility of police officers in all neighborhoods of unincorporated Greenburgh, and particularly in those the police department discerns as having special needs, whether those needs are temporary or long-term.  The police department can also designate areas of town as needing special attention due to various reasons.

Councilman Francis Sheehan said adding the officer was a practical solution to the overtime issue facing the department and one that would benefit all of unincorporated Greenburgh.

The next public hearing on the 2007 preliminary budget is scheduled for Wednesday, December 13 at 7:15 p.m.at GreenburghTown Hall.