By Zachary R. Dowdy
Newsday (New York)
NEW YORK — Hundreds of Suffolk police officers filled a county legislative hearing yesterday to blast County Executive Steve Levy’s decision to replace Highway Patrol officers on two state roads.
The officers cheered when their union leaders called Levy’s move this week to assign sheriff’s deputies to the Long Island Expressway and Sunrise Highway an underhanded effort to “dismantle” the police department and applauded legislators who criticized the move.
But Levy said the move is meant to save county residents money.
“The performance by the legislators today was pandering to the union at its worst,” he said. “At a time when our residents are losing their jobs and income security, and I’m trying to give them a no-tax-increase budget, we have legislators looking to undermine my work and hike people’s taxes through the roof.”
He said the move will save the county up to $5.5 million the first year and up to $8.5 million over five years because it will have to hire fewer new officers.
County and police brass who testified before the public safety committee stressed that the deputies were up to the task. “This shift from the police to the sheriffs will save us a great deal of money and maintain the same level of safety we’ve always had,” Levy said.
Sheriff’s deputies took over for the officers Monday.
“The manner in which it was handled was despicable,” said president Jeff Frayler of the Suffolk Police Benevolent Association, the department’s largest union. “This appears to be a bullying tactic by County Executive Levy to dismantle the police department.”
Sheriff’s department officials said the arrangement is a stopgap measure that would be scuttled as soon as state officials take responsibility for the two state roads.
Levy had sought $12 million from the state to cover the county’s cost of patrolling the highways, or have the State Police take over the job. State officials rejected both ideas, citing budget problems.
“We’re not trying to dismantle the department,” said Deputy County Executive Ben Zwirn as officers at the rear of the room jeered. “The county executive is trying to deliver a tax freeze when the people need it most.”
Several legislators questioned Levy’s math and the deputies’ readiness, saying any short-term savings could evaporate.
“To get them up to speed will take a lot of money and a lot of time,” said Legis. Daniel Losquadro. “There is no savings involved here. Nothing.”
A quick analysis by the legislature’s Budget Review Office showed an average difference of $9,000 a year between the deputies’ and officers’ salaries.
A key selling point of Levy’s plan has been what he says is a $42,000 difference between officers’ and deputies’ compensation and the fact that moving officers off the highways will increase police presence in communities.
PBA officials calculate the difference between the packages at about $20,000.
Legis. Lynne C. Nowick said any savings would not be worth what she asserted would be compromised public safety as deputies adjust to their new obligations.
Copyright 2008 Newsday (New York)