MISSION STATEMENT
The Town of Whitestown Police Department is committed to provide dedicated professional police services to the residents of Whitestown. In providing police services the town police strive for professionalism, cost effectiveness and dedication to the concern of the residents.
Chief:
Sergeant:
Full-Time Police Officers:
- Scott Reilly
- Timothy Barone
- Frank McCully
Part-Time Police Officers:
- William Kopek Jr.
- Lee Soja
- James Scarchilli
- Bradley Frankland
- Pasquale Summo
POLICE COMMISSION
- Brian Brooks
- Kevin Barry
- Charles R Gibbs II
HISTORY OF THE TOWN POLICE
On Wednesday April 5, 1978 the Whitestown Town Board voted to hire John (Jack) Finn as the first Whitestown Police Officer. Finn of Walnut Drive Whitesboro earned $4.75 an hour for up to 30 hours a week. He began patrolling the outside area of the town on May 1, 1978. Jack Finn retired from the Oneida County Sheriff's Department in March of that year Jack's last duty assignment was Sergeant in charge of the Identification Unit. Shortly after the hiring of Officer Finn, he was given the title of Police Chief and paid an annually salary of $3,200. The entire budget for the police department in 1978 was $8,000. Chief Finn initially patrolled the town roads in his pickup truck and relied on his CB radio for communications and used his home phone to receive calls. On Wednesday July 12, 1978 the Whitestown Police Department put its first police car on the road; a 1976 Plymouth purchased at the State Police auction. The car was repainted blue and lettered with "WHITESTOWN POLICE "on both sides. Roof lights were purchased and installed in April 1979. In the first four months of the police department existence, Chief Finn traveled 4,000 miles, worked more than 500 hours and answered at least 100 calls. The Whitestown Police in 1979 where one of the first department in the area to be exclusively dispatched by the New York State Police. Most of the departments where dispatched by the Oneida County Sheriff's Department. In 1979, the department hired a second part-time Police Officer, Eugene Sowinski
The Whitestown Police Department continued to increase the calls for service through out the early 80's. Several additional part-time officers where hired. The first Town Police station was build in the area of the Town Highway garage and community center. The Police Station was built by BOCES and is currently used by the highway department. The police department added an additional vehicle to increase its fleet to two patrol vehicles. In 1988, the police department added its third full time officer to the department. Chief Jack Finn retired in 1989. His accomplishments where many in the early years of the department. In August of 1990, the Whitestown Town Board appointed Chief Joseph Palmer as the second town police chief; a position he held until March 2002. On May 1, 2002 Sergeant Donald Wolanin was appointed as Chief of Police a position that he still holds.
As the town continued to grow so, did the calls for police service grow? The police department in the late 80's went from part-time coverage to operating the police department 24 hours a day seven days a week. The 1990's brought even more calls for service. The town police department hired additional full and part-time officers. The present strength of the police department is 7 full time officers and 6 part-time officers. The town police provide all police services including accident reconstruction, Juvenile Aid Officer, Identification technician, certified bike patrol officers and child safety seat technicians.
The budget is a far cry from the 1978 budget of $8,000. The police department budget for 2010 is $435,500.00 and includes a fleet of seven police cars which patrol the town 24 hours a day seven days a week. The town police handle hundreds of motor vehicle accidents a year and respond to thousands of requests for police service. They patrol hundreds of thousands of miles a year in the Town of Whitestown.
The Police Commission of Whitestown working with members of the department came up with the logo "SERVING WITH PRIDE". This was put on all the town police cars with the seal of the town hall. The town police department has for the last thirty two years, served the citizens of Whitestown in a dedicated and professional manner. The police department enjoys a good working relationship with the Town Board and Police Commission. The police department is looking forward to serving the residents of Whitestown even better in the years to come.
In August of 2007 The Town Police Department moved into a new station at the former St. Anne's parish center. The new station was renovated by the Whitestown Building and Grounds Department under the direction of Highway Superintendant Salvatore Granato. The floor space was greatly increased and the station was more centrally located for the town residents that we serve.
