Seeking to address officer retention and public safety, the Croton Police Advisory Committee (PAC) is preparing a memo to the Village Board requesting three additional police officers and an outside staffing consultant. The request stems from a patrol schedule that Chief John Nikitopoulos described as detrimental to officer health and morale. Croton officers currently work a rotating backwards schedule, which Nikitopoulos called "the worst for health" compared to the steady tours used by most other Westchester County departments. The chief noted that the village has lost several officers recently, and the grueling schedule is believed to be a major factor in their departures. The staffing request coincides with a broader look at department operations. Nikitopoulos plans to discuss with the Board whether the state accreditation process—currently years in the making—is draining too much manpower away from core police work. While the department has finished writing its policy manual, it still faces the daunting task of completing procedures and accreditation manuals, requiring review and sign-off from officers already working short-staffed. In other business, the PAC waded into the ongoing debate over government surveillance. Village Manager Healy asked the committee to weigh in on proposed locations for two red-light cameras: the southbound Route 9 exit ramp at Croton Point Avenue/Municipal Place, and the Riverside Avenue intersection. Acknowledging that a "vocal group of residents" opposes any government cameras in the village, the PAC decided to hold a special discussion on all village cameras at its March meeting. The goal is to develop a public education campaign explaining exactly what the village's License Plate Readers and proposed red-light cameras do, how long data is stored, and who can access it. Detective Fielding clarified that LPR data is stored at the County Real Time Crime Center for about three years, is not shared with ICE without a judicial warrant, and cannot be used to track the daily behavioral patterns of residents. The PAC will also ask the Board to mandate warning signage near any red-light cameras. The committee also took a firm stance on design for National Police Week (May 15-21). While planning to request a flag-raising ceremony at the Stanley H. Kellerhouse Municipal Building, the PAC explicitly agreed that a "thin blue line" cannot be part of the custom Croton PD flag, though a solid blue background is acceptable. On the community outreach front, the PAC is exploring a Latino community soccer game day, a free raffle basket for National Night Out, and volunteer-led English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at the village community room. A proposal for a youth art contest was rejected by the Village Manager for not being police-related. Residents should note that 400 free gun safety locks are currently available in the police department lobby. Additionally, the village website is slated for a redesign during the 2026-2027 budget year, which Trustee Maria Slippen noted during discussions about improving multilingual access to village resources.