Grant Will Help Mount Kisco, Westchester County Police Consolidate

Mount Kisco has received a $340,000 grant from New York State to support the proposed consolidation of its police department with the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, Mayor Mike Cindrich announced today.

The grant will help fund costs of pursuing the consolidation, which is currently under review by Mount Kisco and Westchester officials.

Cindrich said the money would make the transition seamless and offset the retrofitting expenses, thus realizing more savings for taxpayers.

“While other communities are reducing road patrols, Mount Kisco will be enhancing our community-based policing initiatives,” he said in a press release. The cost of maintaining a municipal department has become unsustainable.

Under the proposal, Westchester would provide three officers in three cars to patrol the village/town days and evenings; two officers would be on the midnight shift. This exceeds current patrols. Also, the work would be supervised 24/7 by a patrolling sergeant, something not always possible with the village’s own department now.

Mount Kisco officials said the county could provide enhanced services and save the village $2.4 million over the 5-year initial contract.

The Mount Kisco Policemen’s Benevolent Association has endorsed the proposal, Cindrich said.

The county would maintain a presence in the village police station, including a detective division with access to all the Department of Public Safety’s resources.

As the village and county discuss the possibilities, county and village police have been working together and the county has supplied dispatching services.