Joining forces

Study suggests Sparta absorb Ogdensburg’s police force for 24/7 coverage, By Stacy Maldonado Ogdensburg — A study undertaken by Sparta recommends its police force absorb Ogdensburg’s six-person force and incorporate full coverage of the tiny borough into an expanded force that serves both towns. Ogdensburg Chief George Lott is currently on vacation and not available for comment. He’s scheduled to return to work on Nov. 15, but has already stated that he will retire if a shared-services arrangement goes into effect rather than be second in command with rank of lieutenant on the Sparta force. The study was conducted by the consulting group Summit Collaborative Advisors, LLC, hired by Sparta to look into the notion of sharing police services with Ogdensburg. After much time and research the preliminary report recommends it would be best for Sparta to absorb the department of the 2.3-mile neighboring borough. “Right now this is a very preliminary report,” says Sparta Chief of Police Ernest I. Reigstad. “The consultants were hired to find the monetary savings and any other benefits. Everyone in New Jersey is talking about this shared services and consolidating model.” Ogdensburg separated from Sparta back in 1914 (and Sparta itself was originally a part of Hardyston). The borough has a population of about 2,680 and was ranked last year by New Jersey Monthly magazine as the 27th best place to live in the state. There is one police chief, one sergeant and four officers. Sparta has a total of 38 officers for its 37.4 mile township of close to 20,000 people. 24/7 coverage According to the report dated Sept. 9, 2009, if Sparta assumes “all responsibility for police protection and coverage in, and for, Ogdensburg,” everything Sparta police do now, they will do in Ogdensburg 24 hours a day/seven days a week. This list includes: general patrol and traffic, not including the school community events coverage 911 dispatch and response general motor vehicle stopping DUI enforcement, holding and detention investigations, background checks and fingerprinting. Estimated savings Ogdensburg would not be a separate patrol zone; it would part of a zone with portions of neighboring Sparta. Ogdensburg would be contracting Sparta for police services but according to the report this could save the borough about $80,000 a year. The question is if this is enough savings for Ogdensburg to disband its own police department. The report says Sparta could save an estimated $260,000 annually. Chief Reigstad feels in a situation like this “we look at two things: first is saving money and two is improving efficiency while delivering better service. If you save money but your operations hurt, that is a cost.” Reigstad says he wants to make sure “this doesn’t hurt Sparta either and it can’t cost Sparta any money.“ Long-standing relationship The two forces have had a long-standing relationship and work closely together, Reigstad says. “They are as much an asset to us as we are to them. We help one another out, know all of the officers, and have a mutual respect for one another.” The consultants recommend that the Sparta force increase from a total of 38 officers to 42, including one chief, three lieutenants, seven sergeants and 31 officers. Sparta Chief Reigstad would be responsible for both towns, and would need to submit monthly, quarterly and annual reports to Ogdensburg’s governing body. The additional four officers would be current Ogdensburg officers and there is discussion of a fifth to be hired in the future. The Ogdensburg force “is a great team with good people...I’m OK with whichever way it goes,” says Reigstad. What would be lost According to the study, the residents of Ogdensburg would feel a loss of “personal service.” Resident Peter Genuik is a member of a loosely knit group of Ogdensburg residents opposed to incorporating its force into the Sparta force. “We want our own police department,” says Genuik. “The savings per person with the tax reduction is not worth having to lose our department.” He says that after the current contract period ends, “there are a lot of expenditures to also be determined so our taxes could skyrocket.” What may be gained The small borough would gain an entire police force that has received far more training than its own. Ogdensburg officers receive the training mandated by the state but the Sparta force has participated in at least 130 additional non-mandated training programs, such as accident investigation, verbal judo and basic Spanish. The Sparta force is a larger department with more services according to Reigstad. “We have a full detective bureau, a full traffic bureau, we can afford to train people at a higher level of expertise. A small town can’t,” says Reigstad. “We have the ability to train. It is built into our schedule.“ According to the report, four more officers could help decrease Sparta’s already low crime rate even further since studies show that perpetrators tend to stay clear of neighborhoods with a strong police presence. Genuik and others wonder whether the Sparta officers will do anything more than they do now for Ogdensburg. “I have never seen a Sparta officer come down this way,“ says Genuik “and I live one block from Sparta, can see it from my back porch.” Queries on pay and courts Some Sparta officers are concerned about newly appointed officers coming from Ogdensburg and beginning at a higher grade level. This would place the new officers ahead of the current Sparta force in important venues such as prime assignments and overtime work. It could even displace current officers from future promotion. Similarly, some Ogdensburg officers are concerned about what they see as a transfer which may force them to forfeit their accrued sick leave and/or seniority rights. The borough officers would receive a significant salary increase mostly because Sparta’s operations are far more extensive than Ogdensburg’s. Last year each of the four senior borough officers received an average salary of about $76,500; this equates to a projected Sparta pay of $86,270 — an increase of almost 13 percent — some could go as high as $95,479. Another question is whether Ogdensburg would form a joint court with Sparta or contract to Sparta for court services. In 2008 Ogdensburg officers issued 1,087 moving summonses. Genuik says a “police department makes money on tickets, fines collected and going through the courts.” In his opinion the borough would lose a source of revenue with a court system going through Sparta. The report states if a joint court is formed, Sparta’s cost of providing services will increase, too, because officers need to travel to Ogdensburg for 24/7 coverage, to file complaints and summonses, court sessions, etc. Losing local control? Genuik and others are concerned that Ogdensburg will lose its individuality, one piece at a time. “We are also worried when does this end? Sparta is currently doing our DPW, now it’ll be our police department. What will be next?”

What’s next?
A public meeting on the possible merger will be held Monday, Nov. 30 at the Ogdensburg School.
For a look at the complete 48-page report by Summit Collaborative Advisors, LLC go to www.ogdensburgnj.org.