POUGHKEEPSIE – Five new City of Poughkeepsie police officers were sworn in Friday by Chamberlain Deanne Flynn. The ceremony took place in the common council chambers with friends and family members joining city officials to watch the four men and one woman begin their employment with the city.
The five new officers will bring the city force to 90, after they are trained
Mayor Robert Rolison, a retired police officer, noted that these new recruits bring the total to 11 new officers hired by the city since 2016.
“We are always trying to diversify the entire workforce here in the City of Poughkeepsie; however, one of the things we have to deal with is civil service requirements,” Rolison said. “That’s way it is important that we do the outreach into the community to encourage our city residents of all backgrounds to take these civil service exams.”
Chief Thomas Pape said the newest officers bring the force to 90 members.
Pape also stated that there were 20 or so eligible candidates and the
five that were sworn in had risen to the top of the list during the interview
process.
Rolison called the five young officers “guardians of the community” and told them that he will do everything possible to ensure that they have the necessary tools to do the job safely and effectively.
The mayor also took a moment to thank the family members in attendance by saying “you are essentially giving them (the recruits) permission to be a part of this community” and he thanked them for that.
The five officers – Tyler Hoag, Jerel Yizar, Tanner Schrader, Katelyn Casey, and Adam Aquafredda – will be attending the police academy run by Sgt. Shawn Castano at the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office.
