January 26, 2021 | All Minutes
ROSENDALE POLICE COMMISSION
Commissioners Supervisor Jeanne Walsh, Anthony Stenta, Joe Hafner
January 26, 2021 Police Commission Meeting
Rondout Municipal Center
2:39 p.m. Meeting called to Order
Pledge of Allegiance: Supervisor Walsh
PRESENT: Supervisor Walsh, Commissioner Hafner, Commissioner Stenta, Chief Schaffrick, Councilman Igoe
Correspondence: Chief Schaffrick stated he received 4 letters in the past month from people regarding Investigator Fischer and Officer LaRocca thanking them for their service, and there were 6 letters altogether. Chief Schaffrick thanked them for their service and representation of the department. Supervisor Walsh stated that it was nice to get positive feedback for the work they are doing and answers questions that the Police Reform Committee had regarding how the officers behave themselves.
Supervisor Walsh made a motion to approve the minutes from the November 24, 2020 meeting. 2nd by Commissioner Stenta. Roll Vote: 3 Yes.
Chief’s Report:
Evaluations: Chief Schaffrick is still completing the evaluations and is looking to have them completed by the first week of February.
Officer Lapp and Officer LaRocca have completed Radar and Taser Training and they are up to date on their training. Officer Vincent and Officer Wells are attending Field Training Officers School this week and will be graduating Thursday afternoon. In service training is currently on hold at the Law Enforcement Center due to Covid-19 but that the mandated training will be done at later dates. The department has worked around officers that had to quarantine and be tested due to Covid-19.
Computers/AED’s: Two of the AED’s were replaced this week and are in service. They were purchased at a reduced rate and the Police Department received a credit for the old ones. The desktop computers are up and in service.
Chief Schaffrick is working with Patrol PC and has a meeting later this week about outfitting the new police car and will report back next month. Chief Schaffrick is waiting for a final quote for the server which is needed for the Body Worn Cameras and is looking to have the server by February and the Body Worn Cameras by March.
Vehicles: The Department received the Tesla Model 3 and its getting outfitted now and the Chief is hoping to have it in service in February. All of the vehicles are operating at this time. Chief Schaffrick would like to start looking for a replacement vehicle for 7F363 which is scheduled and will need to be replaced by the end of 2021 year. There are issues with the in car video system and would like to have the Body Worn Cameras up and running instead of replacing the in car video system.
Department Numbers: Chief Schaffrick reported that for the year 2020 due to Covid, the department’s numbers were lower than in the past. There were 5,954 Incidents; 232 Cases; 126 Arrests; 28 personal injury automobile accidents; 99 property damage accidents and 1 fatality. There were 12 DWI arrests.
Chief Schaffrick also sent to the Commission the 2020 Use of Force Analysis to review. Supervisor Walsh made a motion to post the 2020 Use of Force Analysis on the Town Website. 2nd by Commissioner Stenta. Roll Vote: 3 yes.
New Business:
Commissioner Hafner and Commissioner Stenta filled out Volunteer Applications to stay on the Police Commission. Supervisor Walsh made a motion to submit the applications to the Town Board for their February meeting for re-appointment. 2nd by Commissioner Stenta. Roll Vote: 3 yes.
Chief Schaffrick received 2 complaints regarding speed. The first one was for Sawdust Avenue and Chief Schaffrick arranged to have a County speed trailer put up which provided a speed report. Chief Schaffrick also received emails from residents on Breezy Hill Road regarding speeding on that road. Chief Schaffrick will try to get the speed trailer put on Breezy Hill Road to get a speed report and will meet with County Highway Department and their Safety Department in regards to the rail-trail crossing and possibly reducing the speed on that road. There was a brief discussion regarding the process of reduction of speed on roads.
Councilman Igoe stated that the Police Reform and Reinvention Committee’s initial draft will be going out to the public in about a week and a half and that the Committee will be meeting with the Town Board before it goes out. Councilman Igoe will forward the draft to Commissioner Hafner and Commissioner Stenta for their review.
Supervisor Walsh made a motion at 3:08 p.m. to go into Executive Session to discuss the employment of a particular person. 2nd by Commissioner Hafner. Roll Vote: 3 Yes.
Executive Session ended at 3:27 p.m. with no action taken at this time.
Supervisor Walsh made a motion to adjourn at 3:28 p.m. 2nd by Commissioner Hafner. Roll Vote: 3 Yes
Respectfully submitted,
Peggy Dingman
Deputy Town Clerk