POMONA – Five of the 15 Newburgh City police officers laid off at the beginning of the year due to budget cuts have been hired by the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Louis Falco said Newburgh’s cops have “nothing but the best reputation” and when he heard about the layoffs, he reached out to the department. “I, back about 15 or 18 years ago, hired one officer from there who was an outstanding officer,” he said. “In the Village of Spring Valley, there have been many over the last 10 or 15 years that have transferred down or went to the Spring Valley Police Department and they all come with stellar reputations, good training, professionalism.”
Falco said if he had more openings, he would have hired even more of the laid-off Newburgh officers.
Meanwhile, Sullivan County Sheriff Michael Schiff said, “We had one opening that we were able to fill with an officer who was laid-off from Newburgh.”
A number of laid-off Newburgh firefighters have also been picked up by other departments including Fairview, Middletown, and Beacon.
