ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS

One of the lasting legacies of the Tutunjian Administration will be the damage done to our fine police department. It's no secret that Tutunjian and his people have a great disdain for the men and women of the TPD. This disdain has real consequences.

This legacy is best exemplified by the resignation of Officer Gerald Young. Gerald Young is an officer we can ill-afford to lose. He is a fine, dedicated officer with a sterling reputation.

Officer Young received a commendation for putting his own life on the line in the daring January rescue of an elderly couple whose car accidentally drove into the frigid waters of the Hudson River from a Lansingburgh supermarket parking lot. Young, one of three officers first on the scene, waded into the river without protective gear to rescue the couple. He was later treated for exposure. - The Record, May 26, 2006

Young is also the recipient of several other awards including two Silver Shields, two Emmys and one Oscar.

According to many, Young is a Cop's Cop and his departure has dispirited many.

Young has chosen to leave the TPD and take a position with another Department. A suburban department. We say he chose to leave but the reality is that the atmosphere within the Troy Police Deaprtment, created by this administration, has led to the loss of this valuable officer. Young will not be the last.

Ten years ago people waited in line for a chance to join the Troy Police Department. Now, in the words of one officer, "we can't give these jobs away."

We wish Officer Young all the best.

Two recent debates/meet the candidate nights further underscore the GOP's complete denial on crime-police issues.

At his debate, Mayor Tutunjian applauded himself for hiring five new police officers. What he forgot to add, and what Conroy pointed out, is that there still remains six vacancies on the force. Tutunjian then explained (we think) that hiring more officers requires 'good planning.' Not sure what Tutunjian meant by that but he's a very good driver. Slow in the driveway...on Sundays.

Tutunjian (R-Mayor) explained that crime was not really on the rise. More people were reporting crime. Of course, he's got no basis to make such a statement. Nor does he need such a basis. If the facts do not agree with Harry's revealed truth, no doubt those facts are Satan's work. Although, if the statistics showed crime going down one wonders if Tutunjian would say that less people are reporting crime.

At-Large candidate Maria Talarico (Harry's Neighbor Party) is another proponent of the "more reporting" theory of crime. At a recent greet the candidates meeting at the O'Neill Apartments, she soothed the elderly by claiming crime was not really on the rise. Talarico did this while holding a copy of the very Division of Criminal Justice report showing the rise in crime.

With a shrinking population and a crime "down" we know this Administration and, if elected, Talarico, now have no reason to ensure that our police force is at full strength and equipped with the appropriate tools and budget to do the job.

Talarico, a former police officer, should know better. Shame on her.