Money's tight, give priority to police work
Nassau County Police Activity League emblem Credit: STEVE PFOST
To trim police costs, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano has transferred two of the 10 officers assigned to the Police Activity League to patrol duty. Why not all of them?
The PAL programs, most of which involve athletics, are superb. Nassau PAL serves more than 40,000 children each year, and it must be well-staffed and supervised. Collectively, the different programs have about $1 million in funds which need careful oversight.
That's not enough responsibility, however, to justify paying 10 officers a total of $2 million in salaries and benefits annually. Certainly, not at a time when the county wants to eliminate its marine and mounted police units.
Even Mangano's reassignment of two PAL officers caused an outcry. Petitions were circulated saying "any reduction in the number of active officers for 27 units across the county means the virtual elimination of PAL." But PAL made do with eight officers before, and the county is promising no reduction in programs.
The Police Benevolent Association and the county agree it's possible to civilianize these positions, although the union says it's a collective bargaining issue.
The PBA makes a good case for keeping the program intact because PAL often presents the first time many kids get to meet officers. Why not see if a few retired officers, for some stipend, would work with a civilian team? The positive spirit of the program would continue and the county could pay some of its bills.
