Cheektowaga passes resolution to change residency requirement for dispatchers

According to a recent study, police departments are unable to hire new officers at a rate that keeps up with their staffing losses each year.

Departments nationwide are reporting a gradual decline in sworn-in officers, since 2020, with an increase in resignations and retirements.

Law enforcement agencies in our region are feeling the strain, which is why one local department is opening the hiring pool.

Cheektowaga has dropped the residency requirement for police and on Tuesday night, a resolution was passed to change the residency requirement for dispatchers.

7 News' Pheben Kassahun heard from two public safety dispatchers on how expanding the residency rule will allow for more quality candidates.

"We are the first people that somebody talks to on the worst day of their lives. We are the first people that help them and keep them safe until we can get police, fire or EMS to their side," Cheektowaga Public Safety Dispatcher Megan Rajput said.

Rajput has been with dispatch for about five years and is vice president of the Town Of Cheektowaga Public Safety Dispatchers Association.

Connecting callers to safety resources is a daily grind and sometimes can be stressful when there is not a full staff on hand.

That was one of the topics in Tuesday night's Cheektowaga town board meeting.

"Somebody has to be here at all 365 days a year. All hours of the day. When it came to the winter storm, we worked for 30-40 hours without going home," Rajput added.

The demanding task is almost impossible to complete.

Additionally, the list of candidates is dwindling not only for the Town of Cheektowaga but for departments across the country.

However, a resolution that passed Tuesday night will change that.

Anyone hired now in Cheektowaga has one year to move into the town, if they do not live here already. Once dispatchers have five years of residency and five years of employment with the Town, they will have the option to move anywhere in Erie County.

Cheektowaga Public Safety Dispatcher Gina Silsby said, "It's a resolution to grant us the same resolution that police have. It's going to be that you have one year to move into town, if you're not already living in town when you're hired. After five years of continuous employment and living in town, you will then be given the option to move anywhere in Erie County."

Silsby is also president of the Town of Cheektowaga Public Safety Dispatchers Association.

With 20 years under her belt as a dispatcher, Silsby hopes that the expanded pool of candidates will cause a positive ripple effect among current dispatchers.

Silsby said, "Hopefully, it's going to increase our manpower so we are at full staff. That's going to play a huge part in our well-being, mentally, physically and emotionally."

This resolution will take effect immediately.