As of 2003, the department had three patrol vehicles, but on March of last year one of the patrol cars was damaged; the department took the insurance money and purchased the Explorer from Mr. Gernatt at a reasonable price and with the rest of the insurance money, they fixed the smashed patrol car and made it into the SRO car. This was to accommodate the SRO officer, who was traveling back and forth to the elementary school and the middle school.

     Plans are that when the motor in car 82 that has over 100,000 miles tires out - which is shortly - they will then put the motor from the SRO car, that has a new rebuilt motor before the accident, into car 82 and delay purchasing a new patrol car until 2005 or 2006. When the K-9 vehicle is ready for retirement, it will not be replaced unless the department is awarded a grant that is currently being worked on.

     Gowanda Police officers take great pride in all their equipment and try to keep it looking like new even though there are three vehicles with over 100,000 miles on them. (A few years ago, the officers had to use their personal vehicles to patrol because all three patrol cars were broken down.)

     The state-average police officer’s pay is $16.50 per hour with benefits. Gowanda Police officers make $11.50 per hour with no benefits.

     The Breakdown: Aggravated assaults, five; simple assaults, 21; burglary, seven; drug possession, 11; kidnapping, one; larceny, 109; motor vehicle theft, six; rape, six; forcible rape, five; weapons possessions, five; all others - 521 (vandalism, domestics, DWI’s, etc.).

     These numbers do not reflect the incidents the SROs handled in the school that were documented (around 400 as of April 1, 2004).

     The department made 240 arrests in 2003 and, going back in all the archives, this is the highest number of arrests to date in one year.

     They wrote over 800 tickets in 2003; 105 of the tickets and arrests were for suspended or revoked drivers. This costs everyone through insurance increases and it has cost the department by a revoked driver crashing into the patrol car because that person didn’t have insurance.

     There has been an influx of sex offenders and court-ordered drug rehab offenders moving into the Gowanda area. These reasons warrant why citizens see the Gowanda patrol cars more frequently than in the past.

     Home invasion on South Water Street - one male is doing a 10-year jail term.

     Eleven rapes - All individuals were caught, with most doing time or having served time.

     Kidnapping - Person caught after intense four days of three Gowanda officers’ dedication in the return of a 12-year-old boy whose life was going to be sacrificed to a cult sect in Virginia. This also led to the persons responsible for the destruction of a $200,000 loader owned by Gernatt Gravel.

     The capture of the person who broke into all the businesses a year and a half ago.

     Police Chief Joseph Alessi states, “Gowanda has one of the most dedicated police departments in the area and we are second to none. We work well with other police departments when needing assistance or giving assistance.

     “Also, I would like to inform and confirm the fact that I have an open-door policy if any taxpayer or resident of the Village of Gowanda has a concern or a question regarding anything involving the police department, from budget issues, vehicles, staff, etc. Please do not hesitate to contact me. This is your police department, and the actual facts are stated in the above information. We have downsized and are running a full-time police department on $33,000 less now than in 1994 and have more to show for it.”

• To encourage the village board to start a village court as the police department has been subsidizing the town courts with all the traffic tickets that are reduced to parking tickets.

• The department can generate an estimated $50,000 or more per year to offset operating expenses. Some local communities have done this recently. Again, the department is working on obtaining grant monies.

• To strengthen community policing and involve community relations.