Kate Lisa is reporting for Capital Region Independent Media Coeymans town officials have agreed to establish an Albany County Sheriff's substation in town hall, and as a result, the number of work shifts for town police officers will decrease. The sheriff’s office will dedicate two patrols to the town of Coeymans and the village of Ravena 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at no cost to the town, in return for the substation space which will allow deputies to report to and park vehicles at the location. The next closest sheriff’s station is in Voorheesville. “That’s it — we don’t pay them anything,” Coeymans Town Supervisor George McHugh said. “That’s the quid pro quo. It’s allowing me to double the town’s public safety coverage at no cost to the taxpayers.” The two permanent sheriff’s patrols officially started January 6. Coeymans Police Chief Daniel Contento said the changes will allow the town to improve coverage and public safety will get better as a result. McHugh said the cutback from five shifts to three will save the town $300,000 this year. The police chief said the change will cause the overall morale in the department to take a hit and will take some getting used to, but he can make it work. “It will save the town money not having those shifts, but that took more than $200,000 out of my personal services budget,” Contento said. The police department remains fully staffed, including an investigator and an evidence technician. The Coeymans Town Board is scheduled to vote on the substation proposal January 9. Read the full story in the Ravena News-Herald.