Library Sale, 9/11 Memorial and Police Sharing Services

Library Book Sale

The Friends of the are having a book sale on Saturday, Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They have culled through all their books and will have mainly new selections for sale. The sale will take place on the lawn in front of Town Hall and in the , which is located on the first floor of the Library.

September 11 Memorial

Approximately two years ago, the began the process of requesting a piece of the steel recovered from the World Trade Center Twin towers. The steel has been incorporated into a monument fronting the fire station at 777 San Anselmo Ave. The monument will be unveiled during a dedication ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, at 9:11 a.m. 

The September 11th Families Association and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey coordinated the efforts to distribute respectfully the recovered artifacts throughout the country to remember the events of that horrific day in our history. 

RVFD is honored to bring such a powerful piece of history to the department and the Ross Valley.  The piece of steel is approximately 12” x 16” and weighs about 65 pounds. Members of the Ross Valley Firefighters Club have volunteered many hours to construct a fitting tribute. The club is donating the funds to make this monument and dedication ceremony possible.

All members of the public are invited to attend the dedication ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 at 9:11 a.m., to help dedicate the memorial and honor those firefighters, police officers, port authority personnel and civilians that perished on that sad September day. 

Sharing Police Services with Twin Cities

The . After receiving overwhelming support from the town and city councils representing both agencies, the sharing of police services is underway.                                          

Faced with the economic reality of limited state and local funding, coupled with the rising costs of pension programs and medical contributions, town councils requested the management teams of the San Anselmo Police Department and the Twin Cities Police Authority begin exploring the possibility of enhancing services while at the same time creating much leaner organizations by cutting costs associated with police services.   

In 2008, voters in the City of Larkspur and in the Town of Corte Madera approved a ballot measure authorizing the construction of a new police facility. As demolition on the old police facility began, the Twin Cities Police Dispatch Center and its staff needed to be relocated. 

In January of 2010, the Twin Cities Police Authority dispatch staff moved into the San Anselmo Police Department’s Dispatch Center. Additional cross-training of employees took place and, over time, the reality of sharing a Dispatch Center between two agencies proved successful. 

The success of the sharing of dispatch services presented the possibility of sharing additional services between the two agencies. A serious look was given to the sharing of administrative and supervisory staff as well as to the combining of investigative staff. Another consideration was to combine evidence storage facilities in one central location, to avoid the duplication of costs and services.     

As a part of their continuing effort to improve the quality of police services within their communities, San Anselmo Police Chief Charles Maynard and Twin Cities Police Authority Chief Todd Cusimano conducted extensive research on the possibility of sharing additional services between the two agencies. Public meetings were held and presentations were made outlining their proposal for the possibility of additional savings. The proposal included sharing the services of one San Anselmo Police Captain. Both agencies agreed not only to share the services, but also the total cost associated with the Captain’s position.

The proposal also included the sharing of services and total compensation of one Twin Cities Police Dispatch Supervisor. The two agencies anticipate additional cost savings of up to $500,000 as a result of this sharing of services agreement. 

In addition to the monetary savings recognized by the San Anselmo Police Department and the Twin Cities Police Authority, enhanced services will be provided to each community represented through the addition of combined personnel. Both agencies will share one Support Services Lieutenant, one Detective Sergeant, five Detectives, one School Resource Officer, two Community Service Officers, several Reserve Officers, one Administrative Assistant, and the already existing combined dispatcher staff, at no additional cost. 

It will continue to be the goal of the San Anselmo Police Department and the Twin Cities Police Authority to be creative in their approach to improving services to their communities while remaining fiscally responsible. The sharing of services between both agencies is a new and innovative way of policing and is a testament to the commitment both Police Chiefs have to their communities.