Bassett resigns as police chief in Whitehall

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Whitehall Police Department
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By Caton Deuso and Austin Crosier

Whitehall Police Chief Ernest Bassett Jr. stepped down from the department on June 1 and the village is negotiating a new labor agreement in talks that began in mid-May, according to Mayor Julie Eagan.

“We’ve had four meetings so far to date so we’re getting there,” she said. “We’re getting closer.”

It’s not certain that the department is required to have a police chief, given its small number of personnel, she said. The question is being researched.

Bassett has served for years as chief of both the Whitehall and Granville police departments.

At the end of the Granville Village Board meeting on June 6, NYVTmedia spoke exclusively with Bassett about his decision to focus solely on rebuilding the department in Granville following the departure of four full-time officers in October and November of last year.

That was part of the decision for me to come back here (to Granville),” Bassett said. “They’re (Whitehall PD) fully staffed and capable.”

Bassett, compensation at Granville police department was increased to $34.00 an hour in May, added that he could not “advise” on the potential elevation of current Sgt. Dave Buxton to Whitehall police chief but, “yes, that’s what I believe the village board is planning to do.”

Buxton has taken the lead at the station for the time being. Until the contracts have been agreed upon, Eagan said he will be taking over chief duties. Buxton wasn’t officially made aware of taking over chief duties.

“I’ve been involved in many contracts with other places and it’s not out of the norm for this to happen. They don’t always get done on time and I’ve personally seen them go months without one and some places go years without one,” he said.

“It’s not out of the norm, you just operate on the expired contract.”

Buxton said it’s a team effort when it comes to the Whitehall Police Department and said any needs the community has will be met during the negotiations of contracts.

“The work that was being done by the chief prior is not being pushed aside, everything is being completed as it normally would,” he said.

“All of us as a whole are making sure that things are getting done. Nothing has changed here; we just don’t have anyone as an official chief.”

One of the reasons the contracts have been delayed is due to Bassett’s departure. The village board is working on gathering information to discuss if a chief is needed in Whitehall. Eagan said that it’s likely the village will meet the criteria for not needing one and is waiting to hear back from Washington County Civil Service.

“We are waiting to hear back from civil service. There is a set number of civil service members that need to have but if you have less than it, you’re not required to have a chief. It’s not mandatory,” she said.

As of now, Sgt. Buxton is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When asked if he believes Whitehall needs a chief, his response was simple.

“The village has always had one as far as I know; how do you not need one,” he said.

“The reason I say you need a chief is because as sergeant I’m on call 24 hours a day here. You can’t go anywhere or do anything because a call could come in. Everything the previous chief did is now my responsibility as a sergeant.”

Eagan is hoping for an agreement at the June meeting, but Buxton isn’t certain on the negotiations being completed so soon.

“Everybody’s new to it and it’ll get figured out,” he said.

In Granville, the full-time officer shortage was addressed with the addition of an officer on June 6.

Following executive session, the board announced the hiring of Josh Whitney, who after his probationary period of eight weeks, will be promoted to sergeant if he passes the sergeant’s test next June.

Bassett said Whitney did not sign up for the provisional test scheduled for June 11 of this year.

Mayor Paul Labas said Whitney was actively serving as a part-time officer with Granville and Bassett mentioned Whitney had accumulated about three years of service with the department.

He worked for the Granville police department years ago,” Bassett said of Whitney, adding that Whitney is coming with 10-11 years of experience at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. “He recently came to me and inquired about the position.”

Following the appointment of Whitney, the Granville Police Department now has two full-time officers in Whitney and School Resource Officer T.J. Zovistoski, along with Bassett as police chief and several part-time officers.

However, the board accepted resignation of longtime part-time officer Joseph Bethel in the same meeting.

I understand times are difficult in law enforcement, everyone is struggling. With this, I cannot find time to assist as part-time patrolman in the village of Granville any longer,” Labas read from Bethel’s resignation letter that described his experience as a “positive one.”