The Rye City Council is scheduled to consider a significant reorganization of its public safety structure on Wednesday evening, including the potential separation of the police and fire departments and the elimination of the public safety commissioner position.
If the council moves forward with eliminating the public safety commissioner position, it would require a public referendum. The Board of Elections has an Aug. 4 deadline to get this on the November ballot.
The police and fire departments merged into one department in 2016 in an attempt to modernize and streamline the city’s emergency services, by consolidating the departments under a single administrative structure. This reorganization aimed to enhance accountability, improve coordination between departments, and potentially reduce costs, the Daily Voice and Lohud reported.
It remains unclear what role, if any, Michael Kopy, Rye’s public safety commissioner since 2021, would assume if the police and fire departments are separated.
The council will vote on opening up a public hearing over the matter at their May 21 meeting.
