Letter to the Editor: Gonsalves Addresses Democratic Posturing

Dear Editor,

How do you claim victory over a battle that has already been won? It isn’t easy, but Nassau’s police unions and the legislature’s Democrat caucus managed to do it while wasting four hours at the Legislative meeting on March 19. They felt it necessary to hold the entire legislative process hostage to have terms put into the Nassau Police Realignment Plan that were already there in the first place.

As was testified to on 3/13/12, and as was discussed by Police Commissioner Thomas Dale at various public forums throughout Nassau County, including mine in East Meadow on 3/15/12, we were assured that the following facts about the precinct plan have not changed:

• 48 police officers will now be utilized to patrol our streets, and some serving as Problem Oriented Police officers.
• 177 sector cars will continue current patrols, unchanged.
• Special units will be located in each of the new Policing Centers, such as the highway patrol bureau, the robbery squad, the Bureau of Special Operations, narcotics, and others, with supervisors and detectives.
• All services currently available at a precinct will continue to be available at the Policing Centers, except for the processing of prisoners. 

To add insult to injury, the Democrat legislators then ran to the media to hail victory as if they’d saved the precinct plan. All of the terms that they think they secured were already part of the plan.

To me, it doesn’t really matter who takes the credit as long it’s the public that wins. But, I just ask that the union leaders and the Minority legislators stop wasting the public’s time with silly antics to simply get a good media sound bite.  Focus on good government instead.   

Best,

Legis. Norma L. Gonsalves, R-East Meadow

Deputy Presiding Officer