County Police

[sc800]

Do you think its time that Orange County considers having a county-wide police department again?

The population is still growing, there are a lot of new homes and commercial buildings planned (when the economy gets better), Stewart Airport is trying to expand, and many people expect the regions crime rate to increase, because of a variety of factors (increased population, more people having to commute therefore leaving kids unattended, general rise in national crime rate.) Plus, there are already talks of merging the town courts into district courts like in Nassau and Suffolk.

Do you think Orange County's small and part-time police departments will last, or will we see even more mergers, if not outright creation of a county department?

 

[DaveNF2G]

It would be a major political battle, as consolidation has been in every other part of the state. "Home Rule" - emphasis on RULE - keeps a lot of people employed and in power. The only way to overcome it is when the economic realities trump the political power plays. In other words, it has to become obviously too expensive to keep those little separate kingdoms going - and I mean obvious to voters and taxpayers who know next to nothing about public safety.

 

[K2KOH]

Where have you heard about merging the town and village courts? I haven't heard a thing.

 

[sc800]

I don't remember exactly where I've heard it. I do know it is something they want to do, especially since town/village justices do not have to be lawyers, and I think the OCA (Office of Court Administration) is adverse to that.


Dave:

I know it would be very difficult. NO WAY, C/ Newburgh, Middletown, Port Jervis would ever agree, they try to act separate from the county now. Plus, the logistics would be staggering, and I'm not even talking about trying to figure out rank structure. Imagine communications, since this is a radio forum, try telling Warwick PD or T/Newburgh PD they will now be dealing with Central every call/ every day.