EYE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
Dalton seeks City Commissioner post
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. >> With the approaching retirement of Saratoga Springs Democratic Commissioner of Public Safety Peter Martin, the City of Saratoga Springs will be electing his successor in the November General Election.
Martin’s term ends on Dec. 31, 2019.
The position is one of great responsibility in that the Commissioner oversees the overall operation of the Police Department, the Fire Department, Code Administration, Animal Control, and Parking Enforcement. The Department currently has 162 full-time and 40 parttime employees.
Campaigning for the Commissioner of Public Safety position are candidates Robin Dalton, a Republican, and Kendall Hicks, a Democrat. If successful, Dalton would become the first woman elected Commissioner of Public Safety for the City of Saratoga Springs.
Dalton attended the Chapin School, an all-girls independent day school located in New York City’s Upper East Side neighborhood in Manhattan, graduating in 1998. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Cornell University in 2002.
She has resided in of Saratoga Springs for twelve years, is married to Matthew Dalton and is the mother of their four children.
She garnered name recognition during her tenure as a real estate professional for Roohan Realty in Saratoga Springs from 2007 until earlier this year, and others may remember her name as the founder and publisher of the Saratoga Social, a publishing company that focused on the Saratoga Springs social and philanthropic scenes from 2014-2017.
In Part One of this interview, Dalton itemizes the following as the issues she considers of greatest importance to the City and the areas she would most like to focus on in her campaign for Commissioner of Public Safety:
• Advocating for the police and fire departments on the city council, to ensure that they have the resources they need to optimally serve and protect the City of Saratoga Springs. She sees the City as “vulnerable, not because of the personnel who she credits with “going above and beyond”, but be
cause of the need for additional staff.
• Addressing homelessness in Saratoga Springs and finding a permanent facility for the Code Blue shelter“that in a perfect world would be open 365 days a year, 24/7.”
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The following conversation with Robin Dalton took place at her campaign headquarters in the Mercantile Building on Broadway. She shares aspects of her background, skills, and experience that she believes she can offer residents should her campaign for Commissioner of Public Safety for the City of Saratoga Springs prove successful.
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Part One
Robin, what things motivated you to run for the position of Commissioner of Public Safety?
“I’ve always had a passion for politics. It’s something I grew up talking about at the dinner table every night. For us, being an American meant you were involved in your community. There was an opportunity to serve the people you live with; that was a privilege, you took it seriously, and you did it. I knew from high school that politics was in my blood and I pursued it academically. I majored in government at Cornell University
“I started in 1997 at sixteen by having internships on Capitol Hill with Republican Senator Arlen Specter, from Pennsylvania. He was a major player and it was a privilege to work with him.
“In the spring of 2001, during my junior year at George Washington University, I interned at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); I felt it was important to have a bi-partisan resume. At least, that’s what I told my parents who were Republican; they were a little horrified that I was going to work for the ACLU. I loved it.
“After I graduated college, I looked around at opportunities. I was interested in possibly going into lobbying. This was 2002; what I saw at the national level would involve a lot of compromising in terms of who you were, and your integrity. I saw things that turned me off and decided it wasn’t a path that I could feel good about.”
What didn’t appeal to you?
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“For example, when I moved here, I saw that there was a real cause and effect to what happens here in our city; what the City needs, and what can get done on the City Council. It was easy to connect the dots when I moved here. There were people on the City Council that I knew and admired and I saw they were accomplishing things in a productive and timely way without having to compromise their character or integrity.
“In 2002, I was living in New York City and talking to lobbying friends who were huge, they worked on the Hill. It wasn’t quite the culture for me.
“Many years later, here I am in Saratoga, and almost every election cycle I’m asked to run for a position. Democrats and Republicans have asked me, but it wasn’t the right time or fit for me in my life. I had a business here that was very successful that I sold a year and a half ago.”
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That was Saratoga Social?
“Correct. I also did quite a bit of commercial real estate, which was great because I only dealt with commercial and worked with all the businesses downtown. If they moved or new businesses were coming in, it gave me a strong relationship with the business community.
“I’m very passionate and protective of our downtown businesses. But simultaneously, I had this other business with publishing and media.
“After I sold that, I had time on my hands. I do have four kids and I’m involved with the kids quite a bit but…”
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Some would say that’s plenty of work right there.
“I’m not some who can just be a stay-at-home mom; it’s not the right fit for me. I’m someone who needs to work. Having a work/life balance with four kids is tricky, but it’s something I’ve been dealing with for years. I’ve always worked; it works for our family and everyone’s happy.
“We were able to set it up because of the way Saratoga is. My children are three blocks away from my office and I see them all day long. In 2018, when I first had the conversation about running for office this year, public safety was something that came up and the Republicans approached me about running for Commissioner of Public Safety.”
••• Did this have anything to do with the hot button topic about the School Resource Officers (SROs)?
“Actually, not at all. I saw what was happening on the school board in October and November; I didn’t know anything about it at the time. I didn’t know anyone in the Saratoga Parents For Safer Schools Group. They were total strangers to me.I was happy someone was fighting this fight for something I believe in but I wasn’t the one doing it.
“The Republicans came saying they were looking for someone for the public safety position and for County Supervisor. That wasn’t something in my wheelhouse at all.
“I am passionate about City politics; I started getting involved in 2012 because there was a rape on East Avenue that went unreported.
“I found out a month later. It was in the press briefly but no one had been alerted or heard about it, so a group of us got a lot of signatures on a petition and I presented it to the City Council. The Public Safety Commissioner at that time and I had a lot of back and forth, sparring for quite bit after my public comment, which was unusual.”
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Let’s be specific; what was your comment and what was the response?
“My comment was that communication from the Public Safety office was lacking. It was non-existent over this rape. I’m living on Caroline Street, between Henry and Circular Streets, right in the neighborhood, my kids go to school at Lake Avenue and we know a ton of families in the neighborhood.
“It’s important to me to know that someone was raped in my neighborhood late at night; I want to be aware of it so I can be extra vigilant and take the necessary precautions.”
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What I’m hearing is that you brought it to a public forum and demanded it be talked about.
“Exactly. I was demanding that there be communication from the people in City Hall who have a duty tell the public what’s going on, especially a violent rape. Communication is one thing I plan on bringing to this department that they need desperately.
“Shortly there after, a woman was assaulted on Granger Avenue. There was a little uptick; there often is during track season; it’s inevitable and just life in America.
“We just saw one on Nelson Avenue and Phila Street. We’ve got thousands of people on Caroline Street. We’re the place to play, we’re the place to party. Well, when you have people here partying and drinking and doing drugs, things inevitably happen.”
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At a recent Citizen Advisory Board Meeting, Chiefs Veitch and at that time Acting Chief Catone said “The partying never stops.”
“It gives an impression about the police and public safety departments that in 2019 is incorrect. I went out recently on a Saturday from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. with the police. From 8 p.m. to midnight, I was in a patrol car, then from midnight to 5 a.m. I was with them on the ground on patrol and with the mounted police on Caroline Street.
“We were on foot patrol, so you’ve got officers at the top of Caroline Street, we’re watching and seeing what’s going on. They would see something going on down the street or on Broadway, so they’re running down on foot while the mounted unit is seeing it from up above. So the next thing you know, you’re outside of Gaffney’s and these two horses are suddenly there and they’re got the crowd controlled by separating the problem from the rest of the public.
“It’s like a choreographed dance that they’re doing, without communicating. They just see and know. It took my breath away to see how good they were. Totally different than during the day when you can pet the horse and talk to the officer. They do a lot of PR for the department during the day.”
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There is a paradigm shift back to what policing used to be, where you knew the officer in your neighborhood by name. My grandfather and cousins were officers in the New York City Police Department, so that’s how it always was. Now they call it Community Policing.
“There’s a downside to that, too. If you have an issue with the officer in your area sometimes it’s not the best dynamic. They’re attempting to strike the right balance.”
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They’re certainly working at it.
“At the end of the day what I saw was really scary. Our officers are phenomenal-their professionalism and maturity in dealing with people who are drunk, high, unruly, and causing problems is great, but the number of officers as compared to the number of people out made me feel so vulnerable. Not just for them, but for everybody. It’s a problem that has to be solved because something catastrophic will happen.”
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I was told that at present the department is budgeted for 72 officers as full staff with that count reduced for injuries or retirementsin a city that is at least 30 square miles.
“There were thousands of people on Caroline Street; everyone is needed there. So if something happens in Geyser Crest or anywhere else-it’s not their fault. They have to protect each other and the people downtown. If one thing goes wrong, not even massively wrong, I guess we’re calling the Sheriff’s Office for everybody else.
“We can’t have it like that; it has got to change for everyone’s sake.”
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We have a crazy season for six weeks. At the same time, they have the West Avenue and Route 50 corridors where the majority of traffic accidents occur to be present to.
“You can see what they’re dealing with. The officers work eight hour shifts: 12 midnight to 8 a.m., 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. They’d like to be on 12 hour shifts and it’s something I feel confident I can do for them.
“The senior officers get preference to schedule during the day, so the oldest officer I was with on patrol at night was 32. Their age had nothing to do with how they handle themselves.
“I went on patrol with an officer from eight to midnight who took me down Nelson Avenue. He pointed to a tree that two years ago, when he was 26, he responded to an active rape. It was a level 2 sex offender who was raping a woman. The man is in jail, sentenced to 50 years to life.
“Think about your 26 year old child responding to that. He told me when he came home that night, he was really traumatized. They need active support.”
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Let’s remember there are female officers on the force dealing with their own life challenges and demands who need support. We spoke about the women just wanting to be invited to the table. There are 15 female officers placed in the same line of fire that their male counterparts are to do the same job.
“People may not know that anyone coming into the police department has the option of applying to the state police. They pay significantly more and offer a better long term lifestyle. Many have their name on the list. Many opt to stay because by the time they’re called, they’ve established themselves in the department and they choose to stay.
“They are doing general police work. If you want a career with specialized training, some go elsewhere.
“I was told 70 percent of their time is spent managing calls to do with the homeless problem in the City. In 2013, they had 500 calls all year. In 2018, they had 1,636 calls. Their their staffing levels have not changed. The officers are frustrated because there’s nothing they can do.
“Regardless of what led to person becoming homeless-drugs, alcohol, trouble at home-there is no shelter in the City to bring people to 365 days a year.
“Homelessness doesn’t discriminate. I’ve known people who are severely drug addicted and pan handling on the street. I explained it to my children in the simplest terms.
“The Code Blue Shelter was right down the street from us. We walked by all the time. I had a three, four, and five year old at that time. “I explained sometimes people go through tough times; they we don’t know where their next meal will come from, or where they’re going to sleep. In our community, when we have more than we need, we help. This is so people don’t go hungry or have to sleep in the street and freeze. It’s now a part of how they ‘ll become helpful citizens when they grow up.
“Like last winter when the government shutdown happened and people weren’t getting paid. It can happen fast and it’s bad. We’re trying to provide a safety net with SOS, Code Blue is another. We have the Mother Susan Anderson Emergency Shelter for women and children. As of now, we have no location for Code Blue.
“We hit 32 degrees very quickly. It can be October. Ours is the only single family home on the block. I’m in real estate and the value of my house hasn’t gone down. I know. My life hasn’t been affected negatively. It’s been an eye opening experience that has changed the way I look at our City.”
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I understand that at first, you didn’t know what to think when Code Blue opened in your neighborhood. Please share the path that led to a change of heart.
“I had a lot of questions. We met with City Hall and the director of SOS and I got my answers. I handled Code Blue arriving like I would anyone else coming. I decided to volunteer. I went into a dark, dank basement with no light and no ventilation. The conditions were deplorable. The Soul Saving Station was incredibly generous to open their doors, but it wasn’t the place for people with the severe issues people were presenting with.
“I was serving dinner and could see the pain and anguish people were dealing with.
“We need a place where we can connect people with services.”
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(Part two of this conversation with candidate Robin Dalton will continue with additional issues she plans to focus on in her campaign for Commissioner of Public Safety for the City of Saratoga Springs, including:
• Addressing the need for a fire/EMS station to serve the Eastern Ridge of Saratoga Springs,
• Recognizing that the national opioid epidemic has reached Saratoga Springs, and tackling it together. Dalton states that “City police report that there is a noticeable increase in the necessity to revive overdoses with NARCAN. If we don’t get our head around that, we’ll end up like the rest of the country and I don’t want that for our community.”
• Working with the police department, sheriff and board of education to be certain the most comprehensive school safety system possible is put in place in City schools.