Town of Tonawanda Police

Today I had another visit. I have had a backyard BBQ pit for oh about 8 years now. We have always during the summer started fires and cooked on it. Yes we have a propane grill also but for those of you that know, meat always tastes better on a wood burnt down to a coal fire. Like I said we have been doing this for 8 years now and not one complaint.

Open burning is frowned upon in the town but a myriad of people have out door portable fire places and use them in their front and side yards without cooking and with no complaints. We have always cooked on ours. Well some bad busybody neighbor called in a complaint and the police responded. They have no choice so I do not blame them. I was surprised and did not know why they were at my house. They politely and professionally said they had a complaint about open burning. I told them that I did have the BBQ fired up and it would be about an hour until the wood burnt down to coals so we could cook our steaks. They asked of they could see the BBQ pit and I had no objections. After seeing that it was a cooking fire like I said it was they were satisfied.

I would like to complement Lieutenant Darren Benevento and Officer Joe Vilardo for their friendly non-judgmental, courteous, professional behavior. They are a true credit to the Town of Tonawanda Police and deserve my thanks.

I wish that more officers looked at what they do as a job and that things like this is not a personal issue. IT would be great if this blog were to become a part of these officers personnel records as with the other blog that I wrote about officer Chris Ryan (LINK IS HERE)

If you care to edit out the part about my opinion on my neighbor before using this for their personnel record I have no objections. If you wish me to come in and sign it to make it more official I will do that also.

This should carry more weight than other letters of thanks considering that I am more than likely viewed as a hostile “witness.”

Thank you for your service,

b