Police Commission

Police Commission: Per Chapter 34, “Police Commissioners, Board of"  the Commission shall:

  1. Receive all applications and participate in all interviews for the position of commissioned officers and all other employees after consultation with the Police Chief. The Commission shall approve and forward the Chief's recommendations to the Town Board for approval. The hiring of commissioned officers and all other employees, including the starting and all subsequent determinations regarding salaries for such positions is reserved to and shall be determined by the Town Board;
  2. The Chief of Police shall keep a complete service record of each member of the Department in accordance with applicable civil service rules;
  3. Upon recommendation of the Chief of Police, adopt rules, orders and regulations for the government, discipline, administration and disposition of the Department and of the members thereof;
  4. Conduct not less frequently than semi-annually performance evaluations of the Chief, developing with him plans to address any deficiency in job performance and monitoring progress towards improvement and maintaining and reviewing the Chief's personnel file. Within five (5) days next following completion, copies of the Commission’s reviews shall be filed with the Town Board and with the town’s Personnel Committee;
  5. Consistent with the laws of the State of New York and with the terms of any collective bargaining agreement or amendment thereof, adopt rules and regulations for the examination, hearing, investigation and determination of complaints and disciplinary charges made against any member of the Department;
  6. Have access to all records of the Department during normal business hours;
  7. Appoint a Commission member to participate in with the Town Board’s negotiating team for contracts involving commissioned officers and the PBA. The Chief will be a member of the negotiating team for all contracts;
  8. Fulfill the commission’s responsibilities under such collective bargaining agreements, including but not limited to the following:

(a) At the direction of the Town Board, the Commission may participate in the review of grievances after they have been presented to the Chief of Police for his informal review and initial determination. The Commission shall never meet with employees or the union on matters which have not been initially presented to the Chief for his initial consideration;

(b) The Commission shall give prompt written notification to the Chief of Police whenever it receives civilian complaints regarding other members of the Department or when information or accusations are made by any person that an employee or commissioned officer (not including the Chief) has violated any rule, regulation or order of the Department;

(c) The Commission shall likewise receive copies of any complaints against the Department received by the Chief; (d) The Commission shall monitor the disposition of complaints and/or accusations and shall receive complete written reports on the matter including the Chief's final adjudication, if any. When the Commission receives a report from the Chief that does not contain a final adjudication, the Commission may dispose of the matter in a manner consistent with the terms of the agreement or any other statutes or regulations that may apply. In such event, the Chief and the accused will be informed, in writing, of the Commission's determination on the matter.

You can contact the Police Commission by email at policecommission@townofnewpaltz.org

For the Police Commission Complaint/Commendation/Suggestion form, please click here

 

Board Members

Name Title
Steve Ford Commissioner
Janice Butcher Commissioner
Cindy Sanchez Chair
Karrie Rahaman-Bunce Commissioner
Tara Fitzpatrick Commissioner
Esi Lewis Town Board Liaison