JPD Lieutenant Makes Another Push For More Equipment Funding

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JAMESTOWN – A Jamestown Police Officer made another plea for more funding to upgrade equipment within the department.

Jamestown Police Lieutenant Sam Piazza, the president of the Kendal Club PBA the department’s union, addressed the Jamestown City Council during a work session Monday evening at City Hall. Piazza explains how Police Chief Tim Jackson constructed a “wish list” for the 2022 budget.

The Lieutenant says that Jackson didn’t place luxury items on the list.

“It wasn’t for a lavish new police station. It wasn’t for a Bearcat for the SWAT team. It wasn’t for all of this extra equipment,” Piazza detailed. “The Chief, what he requested for, was the bare minimum stuff for us to do our jobs. New patrol cars, possibly new staff.”

Piazza says that an increase in staffing would help new officers be more comfortable in working independently. He furthers that the patrol cars are taking a beating as they’re used continuously all year.

Jackson requested five new patrol cars, according to Piazza.

“The Chief’s wish list is not even a wish list,” Piazza said. “It’s what we need to do our job.”

Jamestown City Council President Tony Dolce says that the Council will be holding a special meeting next Monday at 6:30 p.m. to potentially override Mayor Eddie Sundquist’s vetoes of the adopted budget.