Dear Editor,
For political purposes, Mayor Millar and Chief Vinti have not assured the public that they are safe. The Owego Police Department (OPD) is operating at full budgeted capacity.
We currently have equal to or more officers patrolling the village than we have had in several years. The Mayor and Chief are allowing our community to feel unsafe.
In fact, the Village Board has managed to provide OPD with more experienced officers than provided to the residents in quite some time.
At the same time, the Public Safety Committee has been exploring feasible options to provide the Village residents with the highest quality police services for today and long term, and Chief Vinti has known for several months there was a police academy class beginning in March of 2015.
Early last fall, Chief Vinti put out an advertisement that OPD was seeking lateral transfers for full time employment and did not receive any interest. Chief Vinti has not requested authorization from the Village Board to hire permanent full time officers since August 2014.
During the last week of February, Trustee Lockwood advised me that Mayor Millar and the Chief were scheduling interviews for full time officer candidates. On Feb. 27, 2015, 18 days before the police academy begins, Mayor Millar informs the entire Board the village was going to hire three full time officers and three part time officers at the March 2 Board meeting.
The Mayor further suggested, after the Board approved hiring said officer candidates, continued employment would be contingent on successful completion of background checks, physical exams, and psychological exams prior to the start of the March 16 police academy.
After seven months, only panel interviews had been completed and the Mayor requested the board to pass his resolutions to hire six new officers for OPD. Only two weeks remaining before the police academy and no background checks completed, the majority of the board determined it was very risky and irresponsible to offer six individuals employment as police officers without a single background check completed.
The residents can rest comfortably knowing there are police officers working 24/7 in the Village and we are working hard to implement and improve management practices.
On March 18, please remember to vote “row A” and show your continued support for the A Positive Change Party. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Mike Phelps
Village of Owego 3rd Ward Trustee
A Positive change Party
