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Police union raises staffing and dispatch concerns after chief's retirement announcement
Summary
Police union leaders told the board the chief’s public announcement of retirement has left rank-and-file officers and union leadership uncertain about succession and dispatch continuity; trustees said a plan exists and that details will be provided by the chief at a later meeting.
Representatives of the police bargaining unit told the Village of Ellenville Board of Trustees the department is facing uncertainty after the police chief publicly announced his retirement at a prior meeting.
"He announced in front of the board of trustees that he is retiring," said the PBA vice president (speaker 9), describing how the public announcement left officers and union members unsure about leadership and operations. The vice president said several officers have applied to other agencies and warned the board that staffing losses risk the future of a village police department.
Union speakers asked what plans exist for dispatch continuity and services that rely on local dispatching, including senior checks and daily walk-ins. Speaker 9 recounted a recent welfare check that required dispatch coordination and said that service continuity is a critical public-safety function: "We found her. We got her into the house and we put her in the hospital," the speaker said, describing the consequences a disrupted dispatch system could have for vulnerable residents.
Trustees responded that they have been preparing for the change and that a plan for dispatch and senior-support functions exists; deputy mayor/speaker 6 said the chief will be asked to disclose the operational details and that trustees will discuss personnel and bargaining matters in executive session. The board agreed to follow up with the police department and to hold a meeting with department leadership to provide staff and union members more information.
Next steps: trustees said the chief will address detailed plans at a future meeting, and the board planned an executive-session discussion of bargaining-unit and personnel items to consider next steps for department leadership and services.
