Will prepare plan to submit to state

Dutchess County has created two committees to create a law enforcement reform plan in response to an order by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The groups met for the first time on Tuesday (July 28).

The goal of the county’s Police Reform & Modernization Collaborative, said County Executive Marc Molinaro in a statement, is to develop reforms, policies and procedures “to eliminate racial inequities in policing, to modify and modernize policing strategies, policies, procedures and practices, and to develop practices to better address the particular needs of communities of color to promote public safety, improve community engagement, and foster trust.”

Cuomo issued an order on June 12 instructing municipalities to develop the plans, which must be completed by April 1, 2021. Molinaro has set a goal of finishing the process by Nov. 1.

He appointed Ken Roman, the county’s deputy commissioner of emergency response, who spent 30 years with the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, to lead the collaborative. Officials from the Dutchess County executive’s office, budget office, Human Rights Commission and Department of Human Resources, as well as Poughkeepsie’s community outreach coordinator, will assist with administration.

One 39-member committee includes police chiefs and members from every law enforcement agency in Dutchess, as well as every mayor and supervisor from local municipalities and the district attorney and public defender. From Beacon, it includes Acting Police Chief William Cornett, Mayor Lee Kyriacou and City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero.

The other 25-member committee includes community activists, members of nonprofit and faith-based organizations, leaders from local colleges and county and elected officials. It includes Pastor John Perez of Faith Temple Church of God in Christ in Beacon.

The Police Reform & Modernization Collaborative will meet in mid-August to review use-of-force policies at police agencies in the county.

Community Stakeholder Workgroup

Shirley Adams, retired director, Catharine Street Community Center
Tom Angell, Dutchess County Public Defender
Barrington Atkins, Dutchess County Legislature
Andre Barnes, acting director of safety, Dutchess Community College
The Rev. Stacy Bottoms, Beulah Baptist Church
Gary Christiansen, president, Justice Solutions Inc.
John Gildard, retired, Poughkeepsie Police Department
William Grady, Dutchess County District Attorney
Dan Hairston, SNUG Coordinator, Family Services Inc.
Darrel Honkala, retired detective, Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department
Mario Johnson, former Dutchess legislator, community activist
Nick Joseph, assistant to the chairman, Dutchess County Legislature
Enrique Rob Lunski, chief executive officer, GET-e360-ABClatino
Steve Miccio, chief executive officer, People USA
Cindy Murphy, assistant district attorney, Dutchess County
Thomas Pape, chief of police, City of Poughkeepsie
Royal Parker, civil rights activist
William Patterson, case manager, Nubian Directions
Pastor John Perez, Faith Temple Church of God in Christ, Beacon
Gregg Pulver, chairman, Dutchess County Legislature
Van Riley, senior assistant director of admission, Marist College
Karmen Smallwood, assistant commissioner for youth services, Department of Community & Family Services
Mary Ellen Still, director, Department of Probation and Community Corrections, and chair of the Dutchess County Criminal Justice Council
L’Quette Taylor, president and founder, Community Matters 2 Inc.
Denise Watson, Dutchess County Family Court, 9th Judicial District

Municipal Leaders & Police Chiefs Workgroup

Acting Chief William Cornett, Beacon
Chief Thomas Pape, Poughkeepsie
Chief Chris Bellino, East Fishkill
Lt. Keith Dworkin, officer-in-charge, Fishkill
Chief Robert Benson, Hyde Park
Sgt. John Hughes, Pine Plains
Chief Kevin Faber, Town of Poughkeepsie
Glenn Scofield, commissioner, Fishkill Police
Jared Witt, officer-in-charge, Millbrook
Michael Veeder, officer-in-charge, Millerton
Sgt. Patrick Hildenbrand, officer-in-charge, Red Hook
Sgt. Peter Dunn, officer-in-charge, Rhinebeck
Lt. Paul Capparelli, officer-in-charge, Wappingers Falls
Sheriff Butch Anderson, Dutchess County
Under Sheriff Kirk Imperati, undersheriff, Dutchess County
Jason Mark, chief deputy, Dutchess County Sheriff
Col. Gerard Lennon, Dutchess County Sheriff
Capt. John Watterson, Dutchess County Sheriff
Major Michael Drake, New York State Police, Troop K
Capt. Katheryn Rohde, New York State Police Troop K
Capt. Lawrence Muller, New York State Police Troop K
Capt. Michael Cappuccilli, New York State Park Police
Kyle Lehmkuhl, chief ranger, National Park Service
Lee Kyriacou, mayor, Beacon
Anthony Ruggiero, city administrator, Beacon
Rob Rolison, mayor, Poughkeepsie
Marc Nelson, city administrator, Poughkeepsie
Nick D’Alessandro, supervisor, East Fishkill
Ozzy Albra, supervisor, Town of Fishkill
Aileen Rohr, supervisor, Hyde Park
Darrah Cloud, supervisor, Pine Plains
Jay Baisley, supervisor, Town of Poughkeepsie
Jim Miccio, mayor, Fishkill
Timothy Collopy, acting mayor, Millbrook
Sarah Witt, clerk, Millbrook
Debra Middlebrook, mayor, Millerton
Ed Blundell, mayor, Red Hook
Gary Bassett, mayor, Rhinebeck
Matt Alexander, mayor, Wappingers Falls

Behind The Story

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