Legislators again call for a new class of State Troopers
(Long Island, NY) Congressman Lee Zeldin, Senator Ken LaValle and Assemblyman Fred Thiele held a press conference today in front of the Riverside State Police Barracks to demand State Trooper staffing be maintained at the premises. The elected officials have been fighting to ensure that Troopers assigned to the Riverside area remain in place and the doors are kept open to residents.
Congressman Lee Zeldin, Senator Ken LaValle and Assemblyman Fred Thiele held a press conference today in front of the Riverside State Police Barracks to demand State Trooper staffing be maintained at the premises. Photo Credit: NYS.
Congressman Lee Zeldin said, “I join today with New York State Senator Ken LaValle and Assemblyman Fred Thiele to address the recent changes at the New York State Trooper barracks in Riverside. I thank both of them for their leadership on this critical local safety issue. The barracks should remain publicly accessible and fully staffed in order to ensure the community’s safety. With the rise in violence and crime in the area, this is the worse time to make these changes.”
The elected officials have been fighting to ensure that Troopers assigned to the Riverside area remain in place and the doors are kept open to residents. Photo Credit: NYS.
“I fought long and hard to have the state locate and build this Trooper Barracks in Riverside. Having an adequate level of State Police personnel on-site and publically available is critically important for the community’s protection.” said Senator Ken LaValle. He continued, “Additionally, a new State Trooper class needs to be initiated to ensure proper staffing across the state; to better protect the residents; and to battle the growing heroin crisis throughout Long Island.“
In October, the legislators conducted a site visit at the Riverside Barracks, and subsequently contacted the Governor and the NY State Superintendent of Police to reiterate their concerns, and to request that an additional class of State Troopers be initiated. Photo Credit: NYS.
Assemblyman Thiele said, “The decision by the State Police to reduce its public presence at the Riverside Barracks is ill-considered and short-sighted. Given issues with drugs and property crimes in the community, particularly the heroin epidemic, the community needs more police not fewer. My great fear is that this is the first of incremental steps to actually close the Riverside Barracks. That would be a public safety disaster. The State Police are attempting to spin this as a move to get more cops on the road. The facts simply do not bear this out. Over the last few years, we have lost police coverage. This is simply a band aid to cover up those losses. Elected officials and the community must stand together to demand more police services. We deserve nothing less.”
Vince Taldone, President of the Flanders, Riverside and Northampton Community Association said, “I am certain that I speak for all my members when I express my sincere gratitude to Congressman Zeldin, Senator LaValle and Assemblyman Thiele for coming to the aid of this community. We have been coping with a terrible surge in crime recently and an unacceptably sluggish response to this crime wave by a poorly funded town police force. People are afraid to go out after dark, and in some homes, children must learn to hide in closets when gun fire is heard on the street. We need our state troopers to be there now more than ever.”
Senator LaValle and Assemblyman Thiele wrote to the Governor last March requesting that a desk position at the Riverside Barracks be maintained, and stressing the importance of personal interaction between the police and the residents.
In October, the legislators conducted a site visit at the Riverside Barracks, and subsequently contacted the Governor and the NY State Superintendent of Police to reiterate their concerns, and to request that an additional class of State Troopers be initiated. The NY State Police Superintendent responded to the legislators informing them that the desk will not be staffed and that the phone at the entrance to the Riverside Barracks will be available for residents to reach dispatchers located in Farmingdale.
