Police department loses two officers to long term disability

It wasn't an agenda item but the topic of police overtime and the hiring of additional officers to supplement the Brockport Police Department's force was discussed at the September 20 board meeting.

At the meeting, during his departmental report, Police Chief Dan Varrenti told board members that two of his full time officers were out on long term disability. The department employs 12 full time officers and one part-timer. "It's my job as a police chief and department head to keep the board apprised of what's going on in my department," he said. "I let the board know that the illness of two full time officers will impact the amount of overtime my department incurs. It's my job to report the status but it's up to the board to make the determination on whether anything will be done with that information."

Mayor Josephine Matela said the chief gave his rundown on the state of the department and said the village needs to think about hiring in order to get the staff where it should be. "We hired the chief to do two specific things -- get the department accredited and control the overtime," she said. "He has stuck to his word on the accreditation as we are only a few weeks from achieving that goal but we, as a village, have not given him the proper staffing for his department. It's obvious that certain members of the board would rather continue to pay overtime than hire the necessary staff."

Following the chief's report, the issue of hiring additional full time officers was raised and, as in the past, it was hotly debated as an unnecessary expense in a village that is strapped with ever-increasing tax rates. The village, Matela said, is setting the police department up for failure if it is not properly staffed.

Trustee Mort Wexler said the request was made for additional full time officers. "I spoke against that," he said. "I have no problem with hiring up to six part time officers, as was written into the contract. Paying time and a half for a part time officer is a lot easier to bear than paying that time and a half to a full time officer.

Wexler said the village can't afford any additional full time officers. "I have concerns not only with the cost of overtime but with the overall cost of the police department," he said. "It would be more beneficial to hire part time officers to augment the department."

While Varrenti said it wasn't his intention to ask for additional officers during his department report, he did say that the safety of both police officers and the community is at stake when an officer is asked to work 16 out of 24 hours. "Working as many hours as our officers do in what could be very high stress situations could definitely hamper an individual's judgment," he said. "The officers need to get a proper amount of time off and rest in order to give 100 percent to the job of keeping the community safe."

Vice Mayor Carrie Maziarz said the department needs more officers." I think that having 10 officers to cover 21 shifts is unconscionable."

Varrenti said his impression was that the board wanted to keep the department at status quo and continue to hire part time officers. "You don't have to be a math major to know this practice will have an egregious effect on the overtime," he said.

Wexler said no resolution was mentioned, or passed, regarding the hiring of additional full time officers.