Tuckahoe, Westchester To Continue Shared Services Agreement

TUCKAHOE, NY — An extended shared services agreement between Tuckahoe and Westchester County will continue to save the village money. County Executive George Latimer said Monday that the county Department of Public Safety will continue to handle 911 calls and dispatch duties for the Tuckahoe Police Department on the midnight shift.

The agreement comes at no cost to the county and saves the village taxpayers from further personnel costs, according to a press release from the county.

Latimer said the agreement is an example of how county and local governments can partner to save taxpayer money.

"My administration has made a more robust shared service plan a key in our efforts to reduce the burden placed on Westchester County taxpayers and this agreement with Tuckahoe can serve as a blueprint on how it is possible," he said.

The five-year extension of the agreement, which was approved Monday by the Board of Legislators, allows Tuckahoe to continue to save money by not having a desk officer on duty at police headquarters on the overnight shift.

Tuckahoe Mayor Steven Ecklond said he was pleased that Latimer has agreed to extend the partnership.

"This cooperative shared service between the county and the village has exceeded our expectations," he said.

"The financial savings to our village residents has enabled us to place these resources towards other areas of public safety," Ecklond said.

All 911 calls or other telephone calls from the public to the Tuckahoe Police Department are handled by county police from midnight to 7:40 a.m., seven days a week. The county police also dispatch Tuckahoe officers as needed.

Anyone who comes in person to the Tuckahoe Police Department headquarters during the overnight hours can contact county police through a telephone mounted at the front door. A Tuckahoe police officer is then dispatched to return to headquarters.

The county can provide the service to Tuckahoe at no cost because the small volume of overnight calls in the village can be handled by current personnel.

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