Trustees debate police overtime cuts and whether to delay replacing patrol car

Menands Village trustees and the police representative reviewed the police budget’s labor and equipment lines, focusing on overtime drivers and vehicle replacement timing.

Police representative Kevin explained that most overtime results from replacing officers who are on vacation, sick leave or required court appearances; department staff said they cut special-events overtime from $16,000 to $10,000 to reflect fewer planned events. On vehicle replacement, the department originally budgeted about $70,000 to replace a patrol car; board members discussed postponing that purchase to meet a 10% reduction target in the draft budget.

Kevin urged caution: “I would urge that the not replacing the car could be...dangerous,” he said, linking deferral to higher repair costs and potential safety impacts if mileage climbs and vehicles need frequent repairs. The board reviewed resale history and maintenance lines; staff noted past auction returns around $16,000–$18,000 and discussed how keeping higher‑mileage cars can raise repair costs that may offset near-term savings.

What’s next: the board did not vote on replacing the car at the workshop; it left the line under review while finalizing the budget. Staff will provide updated maintenance and replacement projections for the board’s next meeting.