Mount Kisco Continues Search for New Police Chief
Officials Move Ahead Despite Merger Possibility With County
Despite the lingering possibility of a merger between Mount Kisco and Westchester County police, village trustees are continuing their search for a new police chief to replace the recently retired Steven Anderson.
Anderson, 51, officially retired May 15. The village board of trustees voted unanimously to accept the retirement agreement with the former chief in April. Mayor Michael Cindrich said the study exploring collaboration between Mount Kisco and the Westchester County Department of Public Safety has been ongoing since last year but no decision has been reached. The concept was suggested after the Town of Ossining merged its police force with the county in 2010.
Cost savings and day-to-day service improvement would need to be realized for the village to consider a change.
The idea of combining services was suggested to village officials when Anderson was on active duty with the military. While the proposal is under consideration, as of this date the village has not received a formal proposal from Westchester County, Cindrich said.
Once details are received, all candidates for chief of police will be contacted and informed about what effect any agreement with the county would have on the future of the position.
Meanwhile, the village continues the process of replacing Anderson, a member of the department since 1995 and chief since his August 2007 appointment.
Currently, Lt. Patrick O’Reilly is serving as interim chief.
Cindrich said the village will be looking for a replacement who is familiar with the special challenges presented in Mount Kisco.
“The village is a diverse community and we are fortunate to have several bilingual officers,” the mayor said. “Mount Kisco is also a diverse community with respect to property uses. We have strong commercial and retail sectors that put additional demands on the police department. We also have overcrowding and substandard housing issues that also put unique demands on the police department.”
Traffic control and enforcement, offenses like shoplifting related to the heavy retail sector, and quality-of-life issues in the business district are also labor intensive, Cindrich said.
Anderson’s efforts during his four and- a-half-year tenure were praised by Cindrich. He said he launched plans to enhance patrols, including an innovative concept to strengthen presence on the street during key periods.
Anderson’s relationship with the Latino community was put to the test at the start of his tenure as police chief. Just three weeks after his appointment, Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced that one of the village’s officers, George Bubaris, was indicted in the April 2007 death of immigrant Rene Javier Perez.
“He handled the Perez issue in a responsible and professional fashion, keeping the village board, in their capacity of police commissioners, well informed.” Cindrich said. The former chief also worked well with Neighbor’s Link to help develop a trust, he added.
Attempts to reach Anderson for comments were unsuccessful.
Anderson, who earned $112,000 a year, worked without a salary increase for over four years because of unsigned rank-and file contract issues, Cindrich noted.
Cindrich, a retired police officer, said his professional experience would be helpful in working with the board to find a new chief.
“With respect to qualities I consider important for a department head, loyalty, decisiveness, critical thinking skills and leadership are most important,” Cindrich said. “The ability to recognize situations and take corrective action before they become problems is a strong attribute of a leader. A police chief must also have strong communications skills.”
He said the village board must be kept informed on issues affecting police service and quality of life.
