Cortlandt Adds New Community Resource Officer From County
Police services in the Town of Cortlandt were enhanced last week with the addition of a new uniformed law enforcement officer from the Westchester County Department of Public Safety who will serve as a community resource officer (CRO).
The new position, which will cost Cortlandt $252,000 this year, is an outgrowth of the state mandated police reform process that municipalities participated in last year.
“We are excited to offer this new coverage to our community with our ongoing partnership with Westchester County Department of Public Safety,” said Cortlandt Supervisor Dr. Richard Becker. “I would like to thank County Executive George Latimer for working with our community in making this partnership a success and one that continues to grow.”
“The work to be done by a CRO will enhance the safety and security of the people of Cortlandt and will also build trust and a stronger relationship between the police and the people they serve in the town,” Latimer added.
Since Cortlandt eliminated its own police department as a cost-cutting move in 1999, the town has contracted with Westchester to fill that void, along with getting coverage from the state police. The state police operate out of barracks in the Crugers section of Cortlandt and pay the town $100,000 annually for the use of its headquarters on Route 9A.
The CRO is expected to work closely with the Cortlandt Town Board, business community and neighborhood organizations to identify and address issues requiring police intervention.
CRO training includes instruction in a wide range of topics such as crisis intervention, de-escalation, implicit bias, procedural justice, crime prevention, mental health issues and domestic violence.
“The addition of a CRO will enable our department to engage more fully with residents, business and community leaders, youth groups, clergy and others to hear their concerns and build a strong partnership in addressing those issues,” said Westchester Public Safety Commissioner Thomas Gleason.
Police Officer Deopaul Mahadeo, who currently serves as a patrol officer in Cortlandt, has been selected as the CRO. Mahadeo is a United States Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He started his law enforcement career with the White Plains Police Department where he served for five years before transferring to the Westchester County police.
“This officer already has an extensive knowledge of the Cortlandt community that he can build upon in his work as the CRO,” Gleason said.
The CRO will also work on collaborative initiatives with the Westchester County Police officers who currently serve as School Resource Officers in the Hendrick Hudson and Lakeland school districts.
The Village of Mount Kisco, which also disbanded its local police department in 2015 and receives police services from the county, has also been exploring the possibility of adding a community resource officer.
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