By:Hector Flores
He also found excessive overtime, persistent use of outdated technology and the underutilization of 68 crossing guards. Officials at the Nassau County Patrolmen¹s Benevolent Association, however, believes that the audit was political motivated and highlights problems that are either being fixed or beyond the police department¹s control.
Weitzman said, ³In our previous audits of the police department in October 2002 and January 2004, we found that highly trained county police officers held positions in the Police Communications Bureau and three police administrative commands that could be easily filled by civilians at considerably lower salaries. Given the magnitude of dollars involved, the department needs to move faster to place civilians in these spots and redeploy police officers to perform actual police functions.²
In addition, Weitzman found that precinct overtime had more than doubled between 2002 and 2004. ³Two major factors contribute to the current high level of police overtime,² he said. ³Staffing levels, and the use of overtime as an alternative to hiring new officers.²
The audit also discovered that the precinct operates with outdated equipment. Weitzman noted that the precinct still uses phones without caller I.D., lacks car tracking capabilities and continues to compile crime statistics manually.
Finally, the audit found that crossing guards are not being utilized properly, and there is an absence of control over their attendance. During school vacations ' 13 to 14 weeks per year ' crossing guards report to the precincts, but they¹re given little or nothing to do.
³Crossing guards perform a very important service and are valued by their communities,² Weitzman said. ³They are generally dedicated, reporting to work under all weather conditions and do an outstanding job of keeping our children safe. But our audit shows the police department needs to do a better job in utilizing the crossing guards when schools are closed.²
Gary DelaRaba, president of the Nassau County PBA, said that half of Weitzman report was ³nonsense.² ³We have been complaining that we need new equipment for years,² DelaRaba said. ³[Weitzman] knew all this, and all he had to do was call us. This was just a political hatchet job. We have been doing more with less. We have reduced a lot of overtime since the last contract without new hires, but there is still not enough proper personnel.²
DelaRaba added that the PBA¹s current contract calls for 100 jobs to be given to civilians, and that it has accomplished 90 percent of its goal. ³Right now we are waiting for the civil service to establish qualification and to find qualified personnel,² he said. ³This is not as easy as it seems.²
DelaRaba also defended the precinct¹s crossing guards, stating that they are guaranteed a certain number of hours per week, and when there¹s no school they are assigned to clerical duties at their local precincts. ³They are out in the winter time, snow and rain, crossing kids,² DelaRaba said. ³To say they are doing nothing when school is out shows the absurdity of his statement.
³We have become accustomed to being attacked by politicians,² DelaRaba continued. ³[Weitzman] is just using the same playbook [County Executive Tom] Suozzi has: Blame everything [fiscally] wrong on the police department.²
Comments about this story? HFlores@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
