In his campaign literature, John Degnan cites the establishment of a police force in the Village of Brewster as a top accomplishment.

Yet after three attempts failed to get the Brewster Police Force program off the ground, a constabulary force was finally assembled to patrol the streets. Shockingly, these new officers were denied the right to carry a sidearm by the Mayor. (Journal News, 8/9/2006).

"We're hearing that the professional police officers feel that the gun is mandatory. Right now, show us results with enforcing quality-of-life issues. Later we can talk about the evolution of the constabulary force," Degnan said. After numerous high profile crimes in late 2006, Degnan flip-flopped and allowed his police officers to carry weapons.

When he first proposed the idea, John Degnan assured village citizens that the new police force could be made up of “college students” and its cost would be $37,000 (Journal News, 12/09/06).  But as with everything John Degnan does (the cost of the shelter is a good example), that price tag was not a realistic estimate.

The 2008-09 Brewster Budget shows salaries for its police force rising from $83,200 in 2007 (“Constables”) to $135,000 in 2008 – and then to $261,893 for 2009.  The budget also indicates appropriations of $100,000 for “law enforcement equipment” and $31,500 for “police contract expenses."

The police force is now the single largest personnel expenditure in Brewster. The Putnam County Sheriff’s department was providing the services now costing the Village almost $400,000 a year in taxpayer money for $152,000. With all the money the taxpayers are spending, you would think that John Degnan would start his police department out on the right foot – free from cronyism and corruption.