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The Public Safety Committee of the Tompkins County Legislature today, by a unanimous 4-0 vote, recommended approval by the full Legislature of a State-funded study of the consolidation of City and County law enforcement agencies.

Legislation is being submitted to both the City of Ithaca Common Council and County Legislature that will authorize the two governments to jointly apply for State funding for the study, and to develop a request for proposals that will seek expert consultants to assist with the study.

County Administrator Joe Mareane told the committee the prospects for consolidation have been discussed informally between City and County for a long time; the change now is that representatives of the two entities have reached a formal consensus to go forward, and that this seems to be a good time to embark on a meaningful, comprehensive study.

Administrator Mareane said there is a growing recognition that the need for police services doesn't begin or end at municipal boundaries, and that the approach could address significant disparities in the level of service throughout the county.

In a jointly-signed letter to both the County Legislature and Ithaca Common Council, Legislature Chair Michael Lane and City Mayor Svante Myrick have stated their "strong belief that further consolidation of shared services between the two departments is an option that will result in both long and short-term cost savings and increased quality of police services for both the City and the County, and that resources exist to support the cost of finding ways to fully, and expertly, explore that option."  And they cited the State's  encouragement for consolidations and shared services, and the resources the State has made available to advance those initiatives, such as ongoing Local Government Efficiency Grants and the $150 million Governor's Municipal Restructuring Fund allocated in the 2015-16 State budget.

The City Administration Committee of Common Council will consider the proposed legislation October 21.  If both committees approve, the full Common Council will consider it November 4, and the full County Legislature November 5.

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