Rye Police Association
P.O. Box 246
Rye, N.Y. 10580
March 17, 2007

Rye City Council
City Manager O.P. Shew
1051 Boston Post Road
Rye, N.Y. 10580

Dear Rye City Council and City Manager O.P. Shew:

As you know, we had a significant snow and freezing rain storm yesterday into late last night. As you also know, the Rye Police Department is open and our members work 24 hours a day. In addition, civilians come in and out of the Rye Police Department 24 hours a day.

At 1:00 p.m. today, the Rye Police Department's sidewalks, walkways, parking spaces and driveways had not been plowed and shoveled. However, City Hall was, Milton Firehouse was and even the closed Locust Avenue Firehouse was plowed.

Our question is as follows:

Why?

I was advised by a member of the DPW staff that we are last on the list to get plowed and shoveled.

Again, our question is why?

Our membership has long been treated like the proverbial red headed step child and this certainly does not help those feelings. In fact, it only adds to it.

Why are our members being treated like this in addition to being needlessly exposed to possible serious injuries while City Hall (closed today) and the Locust Avenue Firehouse (closed for the last year or so) are being shoveled and plowed? Why is the City of Rye exposing themselves to some possibly very expensive litigation that you would basically have no defense of? Certainly, any reasonable person would be left scratching their heads as to this serious lapse of judgment and once again, the obvious union animus exhibited by the City of Rye towards our membership.

How would you explain to one of our residents if one of our members slipped on the ice or snow or one of our vehicles was stuck in the ice or snow and we were not able to respond properly to a call of their loved one having a heart attack, accident or other serious emergency and their loved one died? Would you tell them you are sorry because you had to clear City Hall (closed) and the Locust Avenue Firehouse (closed) first? Good luck!

We demand a written response as to the reasoning behind this ridiculous policy as well as an immediate correction to the policy whereas the Rye Police Department is shoveled and plowed after City Hall and after the closed Locust Avenue Firehouse.

Respectfully,

Timothy Chittenden
President; Rye Police Association