Each will have rank, badge number
The acting police chief in Beacon said on July 20 that he would require officers to carry business cards that included their names and badge numbers.
William Cornett, who was appointed by the City Council on July 6 to serve as chief for up to 90 days while the search is underway for a permanent replacement for Kevin Junjulas, who retired, said the order was a step toward increasing transparency and accountability
In a statement, the city said that under the order, officers will identify themselves upon the initiation of certain activities, including “non-custodial” questioning or searches. If the interaction does not lead to an arrest or summons, the officers will offer their business cards.
“The cities of Poughkeepsie and Newburgh recently passed laws requiring their officers to identify themselves with business cards,” Cornett said in a statement. “This is the right thing to do, and we don’t need a law to tell us that.”
Mayor Lee Kyriacou said he approved the order. “Our officers work tirelessly every day to protect Beacon and people should know who they are,” he said in a statement. “If a resident has a concern, they should know who is involved and how to proceed.”
The department on July 15 also began to post its daily police blotter.
