Dear Residents,
We would like to thank you on behalf of the Village Board and Police Department for joining us for our important discussion on public safety issues on the evening of August 9. It is informed and engaged residents like you that contribute to the high quality of life standards we have here in the Village of Old Westbury.
As residents ourselves, the Village Board’s top priority is the safety and security of our families, neighbors, homes and properties. As mentioned last night, we maintain our own police force in order to precisely meet the specific and unique needs of our community. While regional issues out of our control may be contributing to the recent instances of crime in the village, we remain committed to carrying out a comprehensive strategy to mitigate these factors.
The Old Westbury Police Department is approaching 100 years of distinguished service to our community; and the board continues its work to ensure that the department evolves as we face the unprecedented challenges in our region today. That is why the Board of Trustees hired an outside consulting group, Redland Strategies, in April of this year to evaluate all operational aspects of the police department with the goal of making actionable recommendations that we can implement. That report will be delivered to the Board of Trustees at our open August 15th meeting, and will be made available to all residents who cannot attend. We continue to be 100 percent vigilant when it comes to safeguarding our security, and your board is committed to doing what it takes. This includes the implementation of private security patrols two weeks ago, which will be increased in the coming weeks as another tool in mitigating crime.
The Village Board is also committed to ensuring lines of communication are always open between us and our fellow residents on all issues, especially when it comes to public safety. Please be sure to download the village app to your mobile device and register for our email list on our website for the latest updates. In the meantime, thank you for doing your part by reporting suspicious activity, locking and alarming your homes and cars, and consider having your alarms routed directly to the OWPD.
Thank you for your continued engagement. We look forward to our continued work together on these important topics.
Sincerely,
The Mayor and the Board of Trustees