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Rye Considers Merging Police, Fire Into A Public Safety Department

RYE, N.Y. -- Rye city officials are considering merging police and fire departments into a public safety department to bring emergency services together, but not everyone is happy with the idea, according to lohud.com.

Rye city officials are looking at combining the city's fire and police departments into a single public safety department, lohud.com reports.

Rye city officials are looking at combining the city's fire and police departments into a single public safety department, lohud.com reports.

Photo Credit: Jon Craig

City Manager Marcus Serrano said the move would create one consolidated department with a paid public safety commissioner to oversee emergency services, reported lohud.com. Many wonder how this will affect the future of the volunteer firefighters, while police officials say they'd like to see more focus on low staffing levels in the police department, said the lohud.com story.

White Plains has operated under a similar system for years but at times there have been concerns not enough attention is paid to the fire department, according to lohud.com. A 2013 study by Michigan State University showed at least 128 agencies nationwide operate as combined emergency agencies to share resources and coordinate their efforts. lohud.com said.

Back in Rye, the issue is set to be a topic of a public hearing Wednesday, lohud.com reported.

Click here to read the full The Journal News/lohud.com report.

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