Scannell: Nassau police plan lacks details

Legis. Joseph Scanell (D-Baldwin) is ranking member of the Nassau County Legislature's Public Safety Committee.

One of the most important functions of government is protecting the public. The Nassau County Police Department is entrusted with the responsibility of keeping our residents safe. Under the guidelines of Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano's precinct-closure plan, which eliminates half of the county's police precincts, it's hard to believe Nassau's finest can continue to patrol at the same level of efficiency we've come to expect.

Mangano's plan, which he has labeled an "enhanced" approach to policing, proposes several drastic changes to our current system, purportedly to "streamline" it and save taxpayers significant dollars. Among the most severe, and alarming, of the proposed changes is the closure of four police precincts.

The First Precinct in Baldwin, the Fifth Precinct in Elmont, the Sixth in Manhasset and the Eighth in Levittown will become "community policing centers." Meanwhile, the Second Precinct in Woodbury, the Third in Williston Park, the Fourth in Hewlett and the Seventh in Seaford will continue to operate as regular precincts, though with an enlarged coverage area and increased workload.

Legislators are being asked to approve this plan, yet we simply don't have sufficient information explaining how certain precincts were chosen to be closed, basically to be left as empty buildings with just two officers on duty. Nor has any detailed explanation of the cost savings been provided.

The Mangano administration has lost all credibility when it comes to projecting savings. Time and time again, it throws out a savings number that can rarely be justified and never be realized. One recent example is the CSEA layoff and early retirement incentive programs from December. They were targeted to save $75 million, but only achieved $21 million in actual savings.

Additionally, the administration has failed to collect over $44 million in unpaid traffic fines that are due to the county. Maybe if it were more competent in collecting fines we are owed, then we wouldn't be faced with drastic cuts to public safety.

Plain and simple, closing precincts will negatively affect public safety. Precincts are a focal point of their neighborhoods. Common sense dictates that they act as a deterrent to criminals, who have to think twice about being in an area where police cars and personnel are constantly coming and going. A skeleton crew of officers in a "community policing center" is no substitute for a vibrant precinct, where officers can be made available on a moment's notice to fill squad cars and serve residents in an emergency.

Over the past year we have seen a multitude of "throw it against the wall and see what sticks" plans from this administration. Why should we bet on its competence to fulfill a savings plan, especially when it puts residents' safety at risk?

Two of the precincts scheduled to be effectively closed -- the First and the Fifth -- are among the top three busiest precincts in the county, based on number of crime reports. At the First Precinct in Baldwin, which is my home precinct, in just the past month, major crime is up almost 14 percent. Over the past year, burglaries are up an astounding 24 percent.

We've all heard about an increase in crime in Nassau County. Among the most recent, and prominent, are: the pharmacy shootings, one resulting in the tragic loss of an ATF agent; senior home invasions, with new incidents being reported almost daily; and robberies. It is hard to believe that decreasing our police presence in the community will help combat crime.

Nassau residents continue to be burdened with some of the highest taxes in the country. Now, their tax bill will stay the same, but the quality of the police service they receive will be severely reduced.

Until the Mangano administration provides us with better research, and a better reason, for the shake-up of one of the most important functions of government, we're left wondering why this "enhanced" policing system could ever be considered effective, or logical, for Nassau County.