Erie County
Giambra proposes police consolidation study
by NICHOLAS J. PRIMERANO Ken-Ton Editor

Erie County Executive Joel Giambra, left, Town of Amherst Supervisor Satish Mohan, Town of Grand Island Supervisor Peter McMahon and Erie County Sheriff Timothy Howard held a press conference on Thursday to announce they would collectively be starting a commission to examine the feasibility of a county-wide police agency. Photo by Amy Krakowiak

With Town of Amherst Supervisor Satish Mohan by his side, along with a host of other Erie County town supervisors, County Executive Joel A. Giambra on Thursday reopened the issue of a countywide police department - but this time with a goal in mind.

The county executive proposed a one-year delay in implementing fees or charges to local towns and villages for Erie County Sheriff's Department road patrols, so that a study may be completed to find effective ways of providing first-response law enforcement.

A commission to study the issue will consist of Giambra, Sheriff Timothy Howard, Legislator Dan Kozub, D-Lackawanna, two supervisors with local law enforcement departments, two supervisors without local law enforcement departments, two police chiefs and two police union officials. The supervisors' names have not been announced.

Kevin Commerford, Erie County commissioner of Central Police Services, will serve as the commission coordinator.

"We're going to work cooperatively to solve a problem that has been facing this community for a generation," said Giambra.

Giambra and Howard have discussed the issue before, and the results from local leaders have been similar. Not many supervisors or citizens have been responsive to centralizing police services.

"It should be kept in mind that this is only a study and not a call for the elimination of police agencies," said Howard. "However, the feasibility of regional policing should be examined from time to time, if for nothing else, to re-evaluate what we are currently doing and to determine if it meets the changing needs."

However, Mohan said that he is onboard with the concept, despite the fact that the Amherst Town Board is not.

"The taxpayers are ever waiting to see their elected officials use their money effectively," said Mohan. "That effort is shown here in this study of countywide policing."

Mohan went on to say that despite the Town of Amherst's continued ranking as one of the safest towns in America, he is still interested in examining these ideas, simply because it would be imprudent not to.

The county executive said that centralization of police services could cost more in the short term but save money in the long run.

"This is not just about cost," said Howard. "It is more about meeting the unique law enforcement needs of individual communities and could that be accomplished with a regional police agency."

Giambra expects to request funding for the commission from the county's fiscal control board.

"There are funds in state-provided money for implementing efficiency. I think this applies," Giambra said.

e-mail: nprimerano@beenews.com