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New Brighton constable has limited powers... |
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Friday, 07 March 2008 |
By CHRISTOPHER ROY
Express Staff Writer
BRIGHTON — Another chapter in the ongoing saga over the Island Pond constable has begun. On Town Meeting Day Tuesday voters replaced veteran law enforcement officer Ted Miller with newcomer Bucky Tardif. During a meeting held at the town hall on Wednesday evening, selectboard officials learned it could be at least a year before Tardif has the powers Miller had.
Both Tardif and chairman Michael Bressette said the whole situation is
a new concept for them. Tardif said he plans to attend the police
academy in Pittsford.
“I think that is key,” Bressette told Tardif, who added the rules don’t
require him to attend the training to be constable. “For your
protection, our protection and just common sense, it makes no sense for
you to do any police enforcement work until you have the training.”
Without that training, Tardif’s duties would be limited.
Resident Tom Hanlon, a retired state police lieutenant, stressed that
Tardif can’t just apply to the police academy, he has to be sponsored
by the town. Once he passes the entrance and psychological exams Tardif
can apply to attend the basic academy, which can take as long as 12
months to complete. He will also have to pass a physical and go through
a background check.
After going through the first phase Tardif will be given a provisional certificate.
“That means he can only work with his FTO (field training officer) and
he can’t perform any law enforcement functions by himself,” explained
Hanlon.
A second part of the training includes Tardif riding with an FTO and a
third section includes more training at the police academy. Once all
three requirements are met Tardif will be given a part-time
certification. According to Hanlon, part-time certified officers can’t
work more than 32 hours a week.
A second option would be having Tardif go through the full certification training process, which takes 16 weeks.
Hanlon said very few towns have constables, but the ones who do
generally limit them to animal control, assisting the health officer,
or enforcing municipal ordinances.
“They don’t allow the constable to do any law enforcement functions
until they are certified,” he said noting that selectboards can have
special Town Meetings to suspend or limit the powers of the constable.
The conversation Wednesday turned to the difference between having a constable and the town forming its own police department.
Hanlon said that if they were to do that, there would be more
protection for the officer and more liability coverage for the town. He
added that the town can ensure that nobody pins on a badge and start
taking any sort of police action without being certified. An
established department would be eligible for more grants and training
opportunities.
“The constable system is pretty much being phased out, and some states
have even done away with them,” Hanlon said, adding that Brighton is
only one of two communities that have active constables.
“The rest pretty much do animal control or some civil stuff.”
As for law enforcement plans, Bressette residents can still call 911
for emergencies. He also said that a half hour before the meeting
started, a state trooper had pulled somebody over just outside of town.
“They’re around here now,” he said, noting the sheriff’s department is
in town even though the selectboard has not invited them to come in and
do any additional work.
“We did receive a request for some compensation which we turned down, because we pay a county tax anyway,” Bressette said.
Hanlon stressed that all 911 calls go through the dispatch center at
the state police barracks in Derby and they will dispatch the closest
officer to the scene.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 10 March 2008 )
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