Poughkeepsie Adds Seven More Police Officers

POUGHKEEPSIE – The City of Poughkeepsie Police Department has bolstered its ranks, with seven recruits being sworn-in as officers during a ceremony Wednesday.

The new officers are: Justin P. Consalvo, Danielle M. Costa, Paul Henne, Kyriacos Kyriacou, Gregory Schweizer, Kevin Smith and Robert Prince.

Mayor Rob Rolison officiated, saying “This is a great day for the City of Poughkeepsie. Public safety is the utmost concern, and we have been able to replenish the ranks steadily in the effort to get us back to full force.”

City Police Chief Thomas Pape said, “These officers will greatly help our department curb crime and keep people safe. With the community’s help, we are making excellent strides, as demonstrated by the most recent statistics on violent crimes in the city.”

Last week, the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services released trends tracked over a10-year period that show many categories of violent crimes have decreased in the City of Poughkeepsie.

Specifically, violent crimes have dropped from 417 in 2009 to 216 in 2018, a 48.2 percent decrease. And robberies, burglaries, and property crimes also have fallen by 50 percent or more during that same timeframe.

Last year, the City of Poughkeepsie also passed measures intended to retain officers and attract them from other departments. The city has subsequently increased its ranks from 79 to 92 officers, including the officers added Wednesday.

The swearing-in ceremony took place in the Poughkeepsie Common Council Chambers at City Hall.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email