Archive: Around Town

Did you know Lansing has a Town Constable? Scott Ferris is Lansing's only peace officer, having been a town constable here for about fifteen years. "This is technically part time, he says, "but I'm around a lot of the time. It's 24/7 from Memorial Day to Labor Day," he says of his lake enforcement duties. In the parks he maintains the security of the camping area, the pavilions, the marina, the ball fields, and Ludlowville park from April 1 to November 1. He is in the courts twice a week, keeping order for Judges Burin and Howell. "Even on weekends, I go somewhere every day," he smiles. He is the Civil Process Server for the Town, serving documents issued by the court for code violations. In addition to all this he is a part time Sergeant on the Groton Police force.

Mr. Ferris began as a Lansing Constable when he was a Sheriff's Deputy working for Tompkins County, continuing in the position after he retired in 2001. Originally five Sheriff's Deputies shared park enforcement duties. Eventually the other four retired or left the area.

He has been constable in Judge Howell's court for three years, and began working in Judge Burin's court as well last April. His job is to keep order in the court and keeping attendees and the judge and his staff safe. He recalled one incident when "we had a little bit of a tense situation here with the people who were held accountable for throwing their own blood on the recruiters' walls at the mall. We had some media presence here, protesters with signs, and it was just me. I'm the only one here. So I have to keep my head screwed on straight."

A constable has similar authority to a police officer in his jurisdictional area, but the position is called "Peace Officer." There are some differences in authority. When someone must be taken into custody he calls the State Police or Sheriff, because the Town does not provide a patrol car. In those cases he does the paper work and transfers the prisoner to them. This has occurred, for example, when repeat offenders in the park whose park privileges have been revoked ignore the ban. "I call for the cavalry," he says.

Mr. Ferris is on call at any time of day. "I'm called at two o'clock in the morning, or two o'clock in the afternoon. I come in from wherever I am and take care of the problem." Some 911 calls are routed to him when he is working. For example last summer there was a call reporting a couple fighting on Salt Point. The sheriffs came by car while Mr. Ferris, who had been patrolling the lake, responded by boat.

Lansing's water craft ordinance went into effect in 2004. These go beyond watercraft law for other municipalities, making boaters more responsible for their activities on the water and the safety of people using the lake. If out on a jet ski before 9am or after a half hour before sunset you have to be at the 1500' mark, around the middle of the lake. This protects residents and renters from excessive noise at unacceptable times of day. The rest of the ordinance applies to all water craft. The State ordinance requires that if your craft is within 100 feet from the nearest fixed object (the shore, a dock, or even a boat tied to a dock) you must keep your speed between zero and five miles per hour. Lansing's ordinance goes further to require that you must go 10 miles per hour if you are 100 to 500 feet away.    "The Town of Ithaca, The City of Ithaca and the Town of Ulysses have all followed suit," says Mr. Ferris, "but they don't have a constable. They have to rely on the Sheriff's Department or the New York State Park Police. "(The town) asked me to absorb that as part of my duties and I respectfully took that responsibility on."   "Lansing owns the biggest chunk of the lake (in Tompkins County) as far as access to the water. Our jurisdictional area is about 14 miles. We go from Esty Hill (near Stewart Park) to a mile North of Milliken Station."   His jurisdiction goes half way across the lake.

Last year the town secured a lease from Honda for a boat to use for law enforcement for only the cost of fuel and maintenance. This year the Town bought the boat for close to cost, which will insure the Town's ability to enforce the ordinance into the future. In the first year the intention was to educate the public about the new ordinance. While a few citations were issued, Mr. Ferris mainly issued warnings. His prior experience on the Sheriff's Navigation Patrol qualifies him for water enforcement.

This year he says he will continue the education element, but will also issue tickets when appropriate. He patrols at random times during the week, working water enforcement around his other jobs. "That works out really well," he says, "because I'm able to connect with people that I see frequently as well as catch the people who are out there doing what they're not supposed to be doing."

He has lived in Tompkins County his whole life, and in Lansing almost 13 years. His two children are aged 19 and 17.   When asked what drives him he says, "Satisfaction is being able to help people who are good people achieve good things." Town Personnel Officer Sharon Bowman says, "He's very thorough and conscientious." Lansing is clearly in good hands.

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