Ideas on how to supplement police patrols in the City of Binghamton are beginning to take shape.
This afternoon, City Council's Rules and Procedures Committee met to discuss the issue. One possible strategy is to hire retired officers on a part-time basis. Another is to bring in interns from Broome Community College's Criminal Justice program. The interns would be unarmed, but could ride along with officers or do desk work.
Councilman Chris Papastrat says the goal is to give the police force a boost when it's short staffed. He hopes to meet with the police chief and union representatives soon. Papastrat says, "They're willing to meet and we just want to get our ideas on paper and formulate it and then we can present it to Chief Zikuski and the police union and get their input. Hopefully, we'll come to a good compromise."
Papastrat says he would like to get the program running by this summer. Finances are still being discussed. The Binghamton Police Union's President was busy on Tuesday. But, we plan to talk with him in the near future.
