Scotia has looked next door for its next police chief — Schenectady Police Capt. Pete Frisoni.
Mayor Kris Kastberg announced Tuesday that Frisoni was the top candidate among six finalists to replace Thomas Rush, who is returning to the rank of sergeant.
“The deciding issue was his administrative experience in personnel and budgeting and payroll,” Kastberg said. “He’s done so many different roles as a police officer.”
What particularly stood out, Kastberg said, was a comment from Frisoni that he was looking to make an impact on the village.
“I think he’s going to bring a new perspective to policing in the village,” he said.
Frisoni, a graduate of Schalmont High School who studied broadcasting at SUNY Buffalo, is a 23-year veteran of the department.
He earned the rank of captain in 2007 when he was promoted to be the No. 2 man in the department’s investigative services bureau. From 2003 to 2007, Frisoni also served as the department’s public information officer, and he recently returned to that role.
Frisoni has submitted his papers for retirement from the Schenectady force, Kastberg said. He will start with Scotia on Sept. 5 and earn a salary of $90,000, according to Kastberg. However, Scotia will not have to contribute to his pension, since he will be retired from Schenectady. The village will also not pay for his health or dental benefits, which he will get through his former employer.
“It’s actually costing us $25,000 less to have him in there than the former chief,” Kastberg said.
The Board of Trustees plans to appoint Frisoni officially at its regular meeting on Aug. 10. The appointment will be on the condition that he meets civil service requirements.
Kastberg said the Civil Service Commission is looking to see if his experience as a captain at the much larger Schenectady department will be comparable to a chief in the 13-member Scotia department. If it is, he will not have to take the chief’s exam. If not, the appointment will be provisional upon passing that test.
Frisoni could not be reached for comment.
Rush, who plans to return to his previous position as sergeant, will remain acting chief until Frisoni starts. Frisoni will meet with Rush to get up to speed before he officially assumes the role.
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