A tentative agreement with Schenectady County would allow the town of Princetown to contract security through the County Sheriff’s office, effectively putting an end to the town’s longstanding problem with limited court security.
A resolution on the County Legislature’s agenda for its meeting on Tuesday, April 8, would provide for the provision of sheriff’s deputies to serve as court protection officers at Princetown’s court.
The resolution, sponsored by Legislator Angelo Santabarbara, R-Rotterdam, is the first Republican-sponsored piece of legislation that has made it onto a county agenda this year. Democrats hold an 11-to-4 majority on the Legislature.
Santabarbara calls the initiative an example of bipartisan and intergovernmental cooperation. Princetown Supervisor Nick Maura is a Democrat, but Santabarbara said that when Maura came to him with his problem, he didn’t see it as a political issue.
This is the way government is supposed to work, said Santabarbara. Regardless of the political party affiliation of me and the town supervisor, we got together to try and get something accomplished.`
Maura and Town Judge Michelle Van Woeart addressed the Legislature earlier this year. Maura said that the town has never had its own security, but relied on municipal police and state troopers who were in attendance to enforce traffic tickets.
Maura said the town had an incident in the past where a man brought a weapon into the courtroom and that to ensure safety at an affordable price, he needed the county’s help.
Van Woeart echoed Maura’s comments, adding that without additional security she felt that she and her staff were unsafe.
Van Woeart’s comments brought a response from Susan E. Savage, D-Niskayuna, chairwoman of the Schenectady County Legislature. At the time, she said the Legislature was moving toward a resolution of the problem and was gathering insurance information that would help the county attorney negotiate a contract.
According to County Attorney Chris Gardner, he recently met with Maura and other Princetown officials to foster an agreement.
The tentative agreement would allow for a sheriff’s deputy to be dispatched from the County Sheriff’s department on nights when court is in session. Princetown’s court meets every Wednesday evening at 6 p.m.
Under the proposed agreement, the sheriff’s deputy would be compensated at an overtime rate for a minimum of four hours with the same fringe benefit and indirect cost rate used in other intermunicipal agreements. The deputy would also be paid for mileage to and from the Schenectady County Jail and the Princetown Town Court.
Gardner said the cost to the town would be approximately $200 per night.
Gardner also said he is still negotiating an indemnification provision that would require the town to carry a general liability insurance policy at the $1-to-$2 million level and a law enforcement liability policy at the $1 million level. He said the town would also be required to reimburse the county for any expenses incurred for on-the-job injuries as required under the Workers Compensation Law.
Maura said that in addition to seeking the assistance of the county, he is currently seeking grants for the implementation of metal detectors in the courthouse. He said he would also look to contract with private security companies on an as-needed basis.
Minority Leader Robert Farley, R-Scotia, said he thought it was important that the county pass the resolution to insure that Princetown had well-trained security officers from the County Sheriff’s department.
`A deputy sheriff is a trained officer under the law,` said Farley. `They can make arrests.`
Gardner said that if the resolution is passed by the Legislature, the contract could go into effect on Wednesday, April 9, and would continue for a full year.
`It’s just a matter of getting everyone together to sign the contract,` he said.
Gardner also said the Legislature could renew the contract in the future.“