Cicero supervisor letting the voters decide

Town Supervisor, Judy Boyke, plans to allow voters the option of keeping or doing away with the Cicero Police Department

by: Marquise Francis (NCC News)
Oct. 27, 2010 11:39am

Cicero, N.Y. - The Cicero Town Supervisor is leaving the fate of the Cicero Police Department in the hands of the voters, with money at the root of the compromise.

Town Supervisor, Judy Boyke, plans on recommending the town board discuss a local law to abolish the Cicero Police Department tonight putting all of the decision-making prowess on the taxpayers. "This is not to merge, " Boyke said. "Either we got one or we don't. It's going to be left up to the taxpayers to decide."

Joseph Snell, Cicero Chief of Police, opposes the idea of abolishing the department. "Every member of this department is dedicated to this community, committed to this community and the safety of this community," Snell said. "So the department is not pleased with the referendum to abolish the police department."

Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney has been in favor of the police department cut for some time believing that the taxpayers do not need to pay for a service the sheriff's and state police already provides, according to the Post Standard. "You'll see the savings," Mahoney said. "Part of the reason is if you have...a bigger department, we have the ability to be more flexible with schedules."

Chief Snell says the sheriff's office cannot provide the quality that his department can. "Right now the state police and sheriff's department do not have the man power nor the staffing to provide the same level of service that we provide to the communities," Snell said. "You only get what you pay for. You're only getting reactive policing. You're not getting enough cars to answer the calls."

The cost breakdown of the town if it began contracting with the county in 2011 is as follows:

• One deputy, from 7 am to 3 am - $656,659


• One deputy, aroud the clock - $874,223


• Two deputies, from 7 am to 3 am - $1,145,581


• Two deputies, aroud the clock - $1,580,710

Boyke says she wants the residents to decide what level of police service they want. "The county executive is telling me we don't need that much service, but who can make that decision?" Boyke said. "I'm not qualified to make that consensus. I want it to be up to the residents because it is the people of the town who recieve the service."