Mt. Kisco, County Reach Agreement on Police Consolidation
The three-year-long effort to consolidate the Mount Kisco Police Department with the Westchester County Department of Public Safety has cleared a major barrier.
Mayor Michael Cindrich confirmed Monday night that the village and the county have agreed in principle to an intermunicipal agreement.
“The IMA is basically ready,” Cindrich said.
Despite the agreement, there are still steps to be completed before the consolidation can become reality, Cindrich said. The county Department of Human Resources is still reviewing how village police officers will be able to resign their current positions to become county employees, he said.
The Board of Legislators’ Finance and Public Safety committees will first review the agreement before passing it on to the full county board, which would need to approve the IMA. Following a public hearing, the village board would also need to approve the agreement, Cindrich said.
If consolidation takes place, village officers would continue to have a presence in the municipality. Shifts would include three officers patrolling the village during the day and evening while two officers would provide coverage during the overnight period.
In addition, the county would provide the village with a full-time sergeant who would work in a supervisory capacity. The village’s detective division would be supervised by the county’s detectives.
It has been estimated that consolidation, which is endorsed by the Mount Kisco Police Benevolent Association, would save the village $2.4 million over the first five years.
The last municipality to enter into a similar agreement with the county was the Town of Ossining, which consolidated its police force with the county more than four years ago.
