A Village Torn: Yorkville Police Consolidation

Over two years ago the Town of Yorkville asked the Oneida County Sheriff's Department to create a proposal. That proposal was to provide 24 hour police protection. But with recent budgetary constraints smaller municipalities are forced to cut back. "We need to start looking at other avenues to save some money. Everybody expects to have police coverage in the Village of Yorkville because they've always had it and we don't want to get out of the public safety business, we want to get out of managing it basically." This issue has been highly controversial and both the village and sheriff's department are trying to educate people. "We want to make sure people are completely educated on everything before they make an important decision a week from today when they vote on this issue. Because some people are saying it's already the Sheriff's responsibility, well sort of, we have jurisdiction throughout the county our primary patrol are on communities that do not have their own police department." The proposal given to the village is different; it would provide twenty-four hour enhanced police protection. "According to Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol the decal on patrol cars isn't the only change that the people of Yorkville would see." "The Sheriff's department is an accredited police agency, we're an elite police agency. Every police officer whether they work for the Sheriff's office or any other agency, I mean it's our obligation to protect the people and enforce the laws. So to say that if the Sheriff's department takes over the people will be less safe isn't a fair statement."