POUGHKEEPSIE – City Mayor Rob Rolison and Poughkeepsie School Superintendent Dr. Eric Rosser held a video meeting Thursday night to update residents on how the city and school district are progressing during the pandemic. Traffic safety was a major concern of people who submitted questions via Facebook, and Rolison took a hard stance.
Last week there were a few incidents involving reckless driving including an individual operating a dirt-bike down the arterial. That individual was involved in a wreck with a car and the biker died as a result. Rolison said that he has received several calls regarding dangerous driving and indicated that the police department was also fielding multiple complaints.
On Monday, Police Chief Thomas Pape briefed the common council on the complaints and said that traffic enforcement details were revived this week. When the pandemic struck, Pape said that “we took a step back” with traffic enforcement to protect the officers and residents. As the pandemic carried on, complaints of erratic driving were increasing, and Pape sent his traffic unit officers back out to enforce the laws. Pape told the lawmakers that the goal of his department is “to keep everyone safe.”
Rolison took time on Thursday night to reinforce the chief’s plan. The mayor said that the city will not tolerate aggressive driving in a time when there is an increased number of pedestrians and cyclists out in the city. The mayor also gave a firm warning to the unsafe motorists.
“If you are going a certain mile an hour over the speed limit and that is reckless driving, we’re going to tow your car!” According to Rolison, additional officers have been assigned to traffic enforcement to pull over motorists that are disobeying the law.
With regard to complaints of large gatherings, Pape addressed it on Monday. “We’re going to take a soft approach,” and ask people to comply. “The last thing we want to do is make arrests,” added the chief. Addressing concerns of large groups of children gathering as the weather warms, Pape said, “It’s a challenge without a pandemic,” and his officers are asking the kids to comply. The police department is without a youth worker and will not be able to fill the position until the city’s hiring freeze is lifted.
