POUGHKEEPSIE – At a council meeting last week, the council introduced legislation calling for a civilian review board to have oversight of the police department and complaints regarding officers. On Monday night, members of the public called for Chairperson Sarah Salem’s recusal due to pending criminal charges.
During Monday night’s meeting, several members of the public called in and expressed their support for the creation of the board. Amelia Miller of S. White Street called for the new board to not only handle police issues but handle complaints of the elected officials as well. “We can’t have everyone else being held accountable when the ones that make the laws aren’t held accountable,” said Ms. Miller.
Community organizer Robert Pemberton, of Stop the Violence, called in. Pemberton is the man that put together the July rally in which an estimated 2,000 people protested in Poughkeepsie without violence. Pemberton credited the city’s police force for doing an excellent job of keeping that event safe. Not long after the rally, Council Chair Sarah Salem was critical of the event because the chair wasn’t one of the people allowed to march on the Mid-Hudson Bridge. Pemberton addressed Salem in a letter to the editor. In light of Salem’s February DWI arrest, Pemberton said on Monday, “Elected officials need to be held to a higher standard,” adding that the review board needs to cover office-holders as well.
On Tuesday, protesters gathered in front of the Family Partnership Center which houses the offices of Dutchess Outreach, where Salem is employed. A protester said that there are plans to picket near Salem’s house, like they did last week, as well as at her place of employment. “Dutchess Outreach is a great asset to the community but they need to get rid of Salem,” said one protester, adding, “Salem is giving Dutchess Outreach a bad name.” When asked why Dutchess Outreach should cut ties with Salem, a female protester said “The girl that was injured when Sarah was drunk and crashed into her hasn’t worked since February but Salem is still getting paid. It’s an example of white privilege!” The victim of Salem’s crash is a young black female from Poughkeepsie.
Tara Whalen, Associate Director of Dutchess Outreach declined to comment on the protest or Salem’s pending criminal charges.
