TOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE – End of year budget cuts in the City of Newburgh resulted in several police officers and firefighters losing their jobs. Officer Lawrence Eberwein Jr. was one of the cops that became unemployed until the Town of Poughkeepsie hired him.
Eberwein was laid off from Newburgh on December 31. The rookie had only been on the Newburgh force since March of 2019. The Beacon resident was unemployed until the Poughkeepsie Town Board hired him as a police officer on Wednesday night. The new department is an upgrade on a few fronts, according to the young officer. “I have several friends in the department and it’s a great town,” said Eberwein shortly after he was approved by the board. The starting salary is almost $20,000 more than his Newburgh salary.
City of Newburgh PBA President Ricardo Rivera was pleased to learn that one of his displaced officers had found a new home. “The City of Newburgh PBA would like to congratulate former City of Newburgh police Officer Lawrence Eberwein on his hiring with the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department. Officer Eberwein was laid off by the City of Newburgh on January 1, 2020 and has been searching for employment. The City of Newburgh would like to thank the Town of Poughkeepsie PD for extending a helping hand and hiring Officer Eberwein,” said Rivera.
Several members of the Town of Poughkeepsie PD were on hand to welcome their new hire, as were his family and girlfriend. Town Supervisor Jay Baisley and his fellow board members all shook hands with Eberwein after the vote. Town board member Jeff Renihan called the hiring a benefit to the town. “Hiring a police officer that has already been through the academy saves tax dollars and in this instance, we get a young, experienced officer that will require very little training.”
With a few recent retirements and the hiring of Eberwein, the town’s police force will consist of 77 officers.
