State police ready new digs in Town of Montgomery
The new state police barracks in Montgomery can provide a meeting place for local police, state police Capt. Stephen Nevins said.
December 03, 2008
MONTGOMERY — In a town with five police agencies patrolling 50 square miles, the state police are about to step up their presence.
The state police Montgomery barracks is scheduled to open its doors by the end of January, Capt. Stephen Nevins said. The planned opening comes as local police agencies have become the subject of heated political discussions on consolidation and taxes. Last month, the Town Board voted to assess the villages of Maybrook and Montgomery for police services in order to comply with state law — to the dismay of village officials.
Besides the state police, there are four agencies patrolling in the town: the town police, Village of Montgomery police, Village of Maybrook police and Village of Walden police.
The state police hope to act as a law enforcement hub in Montgomery. "I hope this (new) place can pull the area together and we can all be working on the same page," Nevins said.
The barracks, which will be located on Route 208 just south of Interstate 84, will be open 24 hours, and house 24 troopers, four investigators, a senior investigator and three sergeants. All of that staff now works out of the Newburgh barracks near Stewart International Airport.
The state police have specialized services that local departments don't offer, including a bomb squad, a canine unit and special investigators. Nevins said the investigative team can help tie together crime trends in the area and provide a meeting place for law enforcement agencies. Town of Montgomery police Chief Butch Amthor said having the investigators and other specialty teams next door will be an asset to local police.
Troopers already patrol Montgomery from headquarters in Newburgh, but the barracks will shift its focus with the move, Nevins said. Troopers will still respond in Newburgh and New Windsor, but the territory south along Route 9W will be covered by the Haverstraw satellite office. In addition, troopers will start and end their day in Montgomery, increasing their presence in the area.
Nevins also said that despite a tight budget, the barracks will have a desk officer available around the clock. "When you have a crisis, it's important to me that you can walk in and see somebody," Nevins said.
Local officials should take stock of how the state police presence impacts the area over the next year when considering changes to their own police departments, Nevins said. Maybrook recently added a third full-time police officer to its roster and Mayor Dennis Leahy, who welcomes the state police's help, has said the village is considering a fourth position.
"Give it some time to look at what we bring to your area," Nevins said.
mmurphy@th-record.com
The new state police barracks in Montgomery can provide a meeting place for local police, state police Capt. Stephen Nevins said.
December 03, 2008
MONTGOMERY — In a town with five police agencies patrolling 50 square miles, the state police are about to step up their presence.
The state police Montgomery barracks is scheduled to open its doors by the end of January, Capt. Stephen Nevins said. The planned opening comes as local police agencies have become the subject of heated political discussions on consolidation and taxes. Last month, the Town Board voted to assess the villages of Maybrook and Montgomery for police services in order to comply with state law — to the dismay of village officials.
Besides the state police, there are four agencies patrolling in the town: the town police, Village of Montgomery police, Village of Maybrook police and Village of Walden police.
The state police hope to act as a law enforcement hub in Montgomery. "I hope this (new) place can pull the area together and we can all be working on the same page," Nevins said.
The barracks, which will be located on Route 208 just south of Interstate 84, will be open 24 hours, and house 24 troopers, four investigators, a senior investigator and three sergeants. All of that staff now works out of the Newburgh barracks near Stewart International Airport.
The state police have specialized services that local departments don't offer, including a bomb squad, a canine unit and special investigators. Nevins said the investigative team can help tie together crime trends in the area and provide a meeting place for law enforcement agencies. Town of Montgomery police Chief Butch Amthor said having the investigators and other specialty teams next door will be an asset to local police.
Troopers already patrol Montgomery from headquarters in Newburgh, but the barracks will shift its focus with the move, Nevins said. Troopers will still respond in Newburgh and New Windsor, but the territory south along Route 9W will be covered by the Haverstraw satellite office. In addition, troopers will start and end their day in Montgomery, increasing their presence in the area.
Nevins also said that despite a tight budget, the barracks will have a desk officer available around the clock. "When you have a crisis, it's important to me that you can walk in and see somebody," Nevins said.
Local officials should take stock of how the state police presence impacts the area over the next year when considering changes to their own police departments, Nevins said. Maybrook recently added a third full-time police officer to its roster and Mayor Dennis Leahy, who welcomes the state police's help, has said the village is considering a fourth position.
"Give it some time to look at what we bring to your area," Nevins said.
mmurphy@th-record.com
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