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As the newly appointed Chief of the Batavia Police Department, we are fortunate that the transition upon the departure of our former Chief Shawn Heubusch has been seamless.
The transition has had little to no impact on our operations as the positions filled came through the ranks of the current department. This allowed us to work together and continue to provide the same high level of service that we have in the past.
Those who received promotions were already familiar with almost all of the operations within the department as we continue fulfilling our goal of providing the highest level of service to our community in our role as public servants committed to public safety.
The current state of the Batavia Police Department is strong. We have 35 sworn members that comprise the police department, including my role as Chief, an Assistant Chief, five Sergeants, one Detective Sergeant, five Detectives, 19 Officers assigned to road patrol duties which include two school resource officers, two NET Officers and one K9 Officer. We also have one Recruit in field training and two recruits in basic training at the Niagara County Police Academy and Monroe County Police Academy, both of whom will start his field training later this year.
There is currently only one vacancy within the department, which is notable given that many local law enforcement agencies across the State and Country are facing ongoing staffing challenges. While a career in law enforcement can be extremely rewarding, the role has become increasingly complex in recent years. Changes in policies and criminal justice practices (bail reform, discovery laws etc.) have altered how officers carry out their responsibilities, increasing their workload at each and every incident. Additionally, mainstream media coverage has often focused on negative incidents and controversies, which has at times cast the profession in a less favorable light and contributed to recruitment and retention challenges, but this is another topic for another day.
We are fortunate however that the Batavia Police Department remains a desirable place for a career in law enforcement and an important part of that is because of continuity of leadership. We appreciate and value our people here at the City of Batavia Police Department.
Another aspect of this is our investment in the department through training. In the last couple of months alone, members of the department have completed over 100 hours of training. One of our offices attended crisis negotiations training in Erie County and our assistant Chief of Police attended Police Administration training in Albany. The K-9 program and members from the emergency response team (ERT) participate in monthly training drills and officers will soon start training for our bicycle/E-bike patrol program as spring is right around the corner.
Two of our officers recently received the STOP DWI “Top Cop” award for leading our Department in traffic stops leading to DWI arrests. The Department in collaboration with other local law enforcement agencies recently participated in the “Stuff the Cruiser” event where donated gifts were collected for local children.
When you see officers and members of the Department out and about whether at a Batavia High School sporting event or events like “Stuff the Cruiser” please remember that the members of the Batavia Police Department are here to protect and serve our community. We too are members of the Batavia community and like you we want it to be a safe and welcoming place for residents and visitors.
The community can help us do that by keeping their eyes and ears open and as the saying goes, if you see something, say something.