1st Precinct in limbo

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“My administration has assigned more officers to patrol our streets while also achieving $20 million in precinct consolidation savings by eliminating 250 desk jobs that were no longer needed due to duplicative work,” Mangano said. “That being said, I directed the Police Department to re-analyze the consolidation of these precincts as the South Shore was battered by Hurricane Sandy.”

Consolidation controversy

The PBA, along with some members of the Nassau County Legislature who represent the communities that the 1st and 7th Precincts serve, said that they worry that problems associated with past mergers would persist if the Baldwin-Seaford consolidation takes place.

Carver said that the PBA never supported the mergers of any precincts, as each of the eight had its own identity. He added that since the first three consolidations, the staffs of the unified precincts have struggled to keep up with an increased workload.

The Nassau County Police Department is known for being service-oriented, Carver said, but he fears residents may begin to get a different impression because the consolidated precincts are struggling to keep up with phones that are “ringing off the hook.”

Administrative tasks, like posting accident reports online, are backlogged, Carver said. He explained that officers are unable to answer all non-emergency phone calls and respond immediately, because they are coming in higher volumes.

“The public may get discouraged when they’re not answering calls about the little things,” he said.

Carver feels that Mangano and the Legislature should consider undoing the completed mergers, and he is hopeful that the Baldwin-Seaford consolidation will not happen.

Nassau County Legislator Dave Denenberg, who represents areas in North Merrick, North Bellmore, Bellmore and Merrick that are served by both the 1st and 7th precincts, said he agreed that the final merger should not occur because the entire consolidation plan was flawed from the start.

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