Officials Discuss County Police Merger Plan

North Hempstead Village mayors and government officials met with Nassau County representatives to discuss the County Executive Ed Mangano’s plan to close .

The meeting took place at on Wednesday at the invitation of Supervisor Jon Kaiman.

Presented by Nassau County Deputy County Executive Rob Walker and Deputy Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter, the plan calls for closing four of the county’s eight precincts. The closed precincts would be converted to community policing centers that would be open 24 hours a day, covered by two police officers.

The remaining precincts would receive additional police support to carry the extra load. In addition, there would be a reduction of at least 150 police officers, although Walker said they would bring in 48 officers that would fight crime with "information driven by intelligence."

Many of the duties previously conducted in the precinct houses are now processed via computerized patrol cars, countywide.

In covering North Hempstead communities, the Third Precinct precinct would remain open, and the Sixth Precinct in Great Neck/Manhasset would operate as a community policing center.  In addition, Highway Patrol units would operate out of the Sixth Precinct in the future.

The plan is expected to deliver cost savings of $20 million.

“It’s not about closing precincts,” Krumpter said. “We have 177 cars on the street today and we will have 177 cars on the street tomorrow.”

He added "we have to cut expenses without impairing safety." 

The community policing centers would be open to the public to attain such items as accident reports. They would not process arrests or handle administrative matters. 

Krumpter said that from outlying areas such as Manorhaven in Port Wasington, it would be quicker to travel to the Third Precinct in Williston Park than the Sixth Precinct on Northern Boulevard. Many in attendance, however, disagreed. In Manorhaven, be said, there are two officers in one patrol car covering the area. So when officers need to process an arrest in Williston Park, another car would be sent in its place.

County legislators Judy Bosworth, D-Great Neck, and Wayne Wink, D-Roslyn, expressed concerns about the plan.

"This is the first time hearing that Highway Patrol would be in the Sixth Precinct," Bosworth said, adding that there would be public hearings in Mineola on Monday and again on Feb. 27 where questions would be raised about the plan. "I don't see where we're having time to really look at this. There's no ability to analyze. To me it's a rush."  

"There's an economic necessity at this point," Krumpter said. 

If approved by Nassau County legislators, the consolidation would begin 30 days after that approval, beginning with the Second and Eigth Precincts, followed by the Third and Sixth Precincts 60 days later, Krumpter said. 

Wink encouraged everyone to attend the public hearing at the Nassau County Legislative Chamber at 1550 Franklin Avenue in Mineola on Monday, Feb. 13 at 11 a.m. Prior to the hearing, there will be an outdoor rally held at 10 a.m.