Mayor's Press Room

Mayor, Police Chief announce "PEACE Initiative"

March 26, 2012

Mayor Lou Rosamilia joined Troy Police Chief John Tedesco to announce a new public safety initiative that will increase the presence of officers in local neighborhoods and use the strategic deployment of foot patrols to establish greater connections in communities and improve public protection throughout the City.

In addition, the Troy Police Department will establish the Emergency Response Team (ERT) in the next several weeks. The ERT is a group of highly trained Troy Police officers with specific expertise on responding to crisis situations. The ERT specializes in tactical responses and is deployed when highly dangerous situations arise, similar to a SWAT team. Physical training and testing for the ERT officers will begin shortly, marking the start of the process to put the ERT in place.

Through the Patrol Enhancement & Active Community Engagement (PEACE) Initiative, the Troy Police Department will increase its presence, level of visibility and number of patrols on the street. The deployment of patrols, traffic enforcement officers, and Community Service Officers will be determined by daily analysis of reports and crime data provided to patrol captains. In addition, the increased use of officers from units operating on flexible schedules will assist in providing more officers when and where they are needed most.

City Hall and the Police Department will identify and enlist community leaders and neighborhood groups to help improve the level of communication between law enforcement officials and the community. This measure will ensure critical information is brought to police so that active cases are swiftly addressed and future crimes may be prevented.

“Brazen acts of violence and criminal behavior have no place in our City. Residents should feel safe when they walk out their door, and the PEACE Initiative is an immediate step to ensure safety is provided across the City of Troy,” Mayor Rosamilia said. “Our effort to prevent criminal acts before they take place and our ability to deliver swift justice to those who break the law starts with improved communication between our police officers and residents who want to remove the bad guys from their neighborhoods. This is one step, but it’s the beginning of what will be an ongoing and unwavering commitment to protect our citizens. I have every confidence that the members of the Troy Police Department will succeed in this critical initiative.”

“This is not a simple show of police force in response to recent acts of violence. This is a program that will assist our officers tremendously by building relationships, augmenting our presence in neighborhoods and increasing the flow of information,” Troy Police Chief John Tedesco said. “We know from experience – effective patrols are part of the foundation of good police work. Creating more ways to increase interaction between police and residents helps everyone, and is essential to keeping communities safe.”

Two additional public safety efforts are also under way:

• The Police Department will collaborate with City Council members, the District Attorney’s Office and private organizations to host two gun buy-back efforts in the City or Troy. Details will be finalized in the coming weeks, but the dates for the gun buy-back programs have been established for Saturday, May 5 and Saturday, May 19.

• Through a federal grant provided by the Department of Homeland Security, the Police Department will bring on a new K-9 Patrol dog this spring. The new dog will be highly trained in detecting explosives and ammunition, and will be a valuable resource in detecting firearms during traffic stops and other patrol situations.

As part of the PEACE Initiative, Mayor Rosamilia and Chief Tedesco will form a Community Response Team to identify and report concerns associated with criminal activity in neighborhoods across the City of Troy and to be immediately inserted into areas when and where major crimes have taken place. In addition, Troy Police will raise the number of community police officers on the street as three School Resource Officers will be deployed into neighborhood patrols when schools are not in session.

Part of the responsibilities of this team will be to hold monthly meetings comprised of members of the Mayor’s Administration, Troy Police and community leaders to discuss what is taking place in specific neighborhoods and engage in problem-solving to reach solutions. The meetings will not be used for criticism, they are intended to be a catalyst for change.