HomeMy WebLinkAboutPolice Chief cut costs_Post_07/23/2011 THE PALM BEACH POST • SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2011
TEQUESTA
To. cut costs chief walks beat
By BILL DIPAOLO village department three years ago.
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer "Sure, we might get some jokes
Village residents should get used that we are Mayberry with the chief
to seeing Police Chief Pete Pitoc- walking the streets. But so be it. We
chelli directing traffic. will be doing a better job," said Lt. Ja-
Pitocchelli and two other upper- son Turner, who will be taking to the
echelon officers in the 17- member streets with Capt. Rick Ricciardi.
department start regular shifts this The village so far this year has
week on the streets to spent about $88,000 in overtime to po-
cut down on overtime lice officers, who are paid overtime
costs. They'll do bur- starting at about $38 an hour. With
glaries, domestics and top officers working a regular shift,
traffic stops. They'll the village hopes to cut that overtime
even write out their own cost in half, said Village Manager
incident reports. Mike Couzzo.
".I can't wait to get The police department has de-
Pitoccheili back out there. It will be creased from 19 officers three years
good for command staff ago to 17. Ricciardi plans to retire in
to get out there with the other police December. There are no plans to re-
officers and the public," said Pitoc- place his position. The new schedule
chelli, who took the $93,700 -a -year will keep three officers on shift at all
position last month. times, Pitocchelli said.
Getting the brass on the beat "We've got to be creative to find
should also bring police officers ways to maintain services," said
closer to- the said Pitocchelli, Couzzo. `An added benefit is that the
who spent about two dozen years on experienced officers can mentor the
the street as a police officer in Delray new ones."
Beach. The Buffalo native jgined'the Obill_dipaolo @pbpost.com
4