A police union in the New York suburbs says staffing gaps at the top are putting the public at risk. Leaders of the Westchester County Police PBA are sounding the alarm over what they describe as growing public safety concerns.
The heart of their complaint is a shortage of leaders. The PBA says the department is facing its highest-ever number of vacancies for supervisor roles like sergeants, and that some of those spots have been open for more than a year.
The union's president explains why those roles matter most in a crisis. Wilberto Sia says the supervisor spots need to be filled because if a mass incident occurs, supervisors are needed on scene to direct officers who are otherwise spread around.
The impact, the union says, reaches into everyday public safety. Sia says the shortage also affects resources for things like school safety, airport security and major public events.
The PBA also points to rising demand. Its data shows police received a little more than 27,000 calls for service in Westchester County in 2024, a number that rose to 32,000 in 2025.
The county's own figures tell a different part of the story. Numbers from the county show that crime has gone down, with a drop in violent crime last year.
County officials say the department is not without leadership and is already acting. They say there are currently 43 sergeants and five vacancies, that all units have supervision including a captain, and that they are moving forward with the appointment of a deputy commissioner before awaiting the results of the June sergeant's exam to begin the next round of promotions, adding that Westchester County is safer today than it has been in nearly a decade.