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It’s Time To Discuss Reconfiguring Local Police Forces

It is interesting to see some discussions made in boardrooms in Chautuaqua County about the number of police departments in the county.

Ten years ago, The Post-Journal editorialized about the interrupted journey toward regional policing services in Chautauqua County. Reconfiguring police services seemed to be gaining momentum in the county roughly 15 years ago. A 2003 Pearl City Lyceum meeting featuring Kevin Comerford, Erie County commissioner of central policing, and John Krimmel, a professor with experience in police consolidation, was attended by a packed house. Later in 2003, Peter Sinden, a State University at Fredonia professor, was hired by the county’s Shared Services Committee to do a series of detailed studies on regional policing issues. Among other things, he proposed five ways to combine police resources in the county. Rather than simply focus on cost, Sinden’s study focused on cost and service provided to county residents.

“When you start thinking about just cutting cost without maintaining service, you’ve lost everything,” Sinden was quoted as saying in a Post-Journal story about the study.

The long-discussed agreement between Jamestown and Chautuaqua County to provide policing in Jamestown may come to fruition this year. But, we note too the Lakewood Village Board showing a willingness to discuss merging the Lakewood-Busti Police Department with the Ellicott Police Department. And, don’t forget, the success of the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, which involved the Jamestown and Ellicott police departments and State Police C-NET team.

Krimmel’s words 14 years ago ring true today. “I think the time is now to ask yourself how much do you want to spend on police and what is it that you want your police to do,” Krimmel advised the Pearl City Lyceum attendees.

Discussions between individual governments should continue, though we hope they continue at a faster rate than we have seen since 2003. At the same time, this seems a good time to begin a serious discussion of how public safety services will be provided in Chautauqua County in the future.

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