Dunkirk Police and Fire Department Talk Budgets | News, sports, jobs

OBSERVER Photo by MJ Stafford Dunkirk Police Chief David Ortolano speaks about his 2025 budget proposal.

Dunkirk police and fire chiefs outlined their 2025 budget proposals this week.

Police Chief David Ortolano told the Common Council in a budget workshop that his department has 33 employees. Salaries for two of these positions, court clerks, are reimbursed by the state. Another position, a school resource officer, is reimbursed by the Dunkirk City School District.

Four officers work eight-hour shifts on the streets, while a fifth officer runs the prison and a sixth handles reception at the police station and dispatch.

Ortolano said the city no longer employs school guards. After “Productive discussions” With city Superintendent Michael Mansfield, the district agreed to take over her employment, he said. The move will save the city about $42,000, he added.

The police chief continued to promote a vehicle replacement program he launched several years ago. He said it keeps maintenance costs low and increases trade-in proceeds. In fact, he suggested “You could maybe shave.” up to $8,000 off the maintenance item in his budget.

Ortolano noted that the price of ammunition is “at the top.” Councilors want to cut spending under a budget proposal that would more than double the city’s tax rate, and Councilwoman Nancy Nichols questioned whether training would be required for police officers.

Ortolano said shooting training records are important for recertifications. “When there’s an officer-involved shooting, the first thing they want is training materials.” he said.

There was a jump in overtime this year and Ortolano was asked about it. “That was related to a problem: we have officers who take leave because they are injured.” he said. The workers’ compensation system reimburses the city for overtime incurred when officers were furloughed due to injuries, he said.

After Ortolano finished, it was Fire Chief Michael Edwards’ turn.

Edwards said there is overtime for his department “Severely underfunded for several years” and he addressed it in his 2025 budget proposal “To cover what overtime entails for our department.”

Edwards also increased his maintenance position “Costs have quadrupled in the last five years” for repairs to the department’s fire engines. Part of the problem is that some of the trucks in Dunkirk were built by the American company LaFrance, but it has gone out of business and spare parts for its vehicles are becoming increasingly difficult to find.

“It’s hard to predict that (maintenance) line because you don’t know what’s going to break.” Edwards said: “But usually when something breaks (on a fire truck) it’s very expensive.”

The fire chief noted that the city is purchasing two new pump trucks, which should reduce maintenance costs in the coming years. The new pump trucks will replace trucks that are 25 to 30 years old.

The Common Council approved the new pumpers – but no bonds were ever issued for them. “To my surprise, that didn’t work.” Edwards said. “It went through all the right channels.”

With the bonds reportedly pending and the city in financial crisis, funding for the trucks appears unclear. In the meantime, “The trucks are currently being built. They are waiting for the chassis,” Edwards said.