Cops and community share coffee and ideas in Poughkeepsie

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Print
Officer Palinkas and Sgt. Longbard listening to city teens.

POUGHKEEPSIE – Police Captain Rich Wilson and the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department’s Community Policing Unit sat down with members of the community Monday night for informal conversations.  The only major presentation was Wilson’s introduction of all of the veteran officers who make up the Community Policing Unit.

Wilson, a cop of 27-years, was joined by K9 Officer Mike Barbagallo with more than 30 years in the department, Sgt. Mike Longbard, the unit’s supervisor, and officers Mike Braren, Tom Palinkas, and Kevin Van Wagner, the PBA president.  Altogether, the unit has almost 100 years of law enforcement experience and has undergone rigorous community policing training.

“This is a great way for members of the community to interact with the officers,” Wilson said.  “It’s informal, comfortable, and, unlike interactions during an incident, it’s comfortable and relaxed.  This is a dedicated effort by our department to sit down and hear the concerns of people that want to provide input and also hear what the officers have to say.”

The group of approximately 20 residents sat at tables with their neighbors and the cops to have quiet discussions, without political agendas.  Senator Sue Serino also took the opportunity to meet with the community members and listen to a variety of concerns.  “Events like this give me a chance to hear from citizens that have concerns that need to be addressed. The City of Poughkeepsie Police and their union, the PBA, are doing their part to keep everyone engaged to make the city an even better place,” said Serino.

Diamond Mima is a vocal city resident that draws attention to issues including housing, education, and crime.  She attended the gathering with her daughter Olivia, a Poughkeepsie High School student.  “The truth is, it takes effort to speak with the police even in an informal setting. What made it welcoming was the familiar faces of police officers we know from seeing them in the community, in our schools and at community events,” said the activist.

“Officer Barbagallo knows both my first-grader at Morse Elementary where he reads to her and my ninth-grader (Olivia) since she was a first-grader and she often greets him with hugs.”  

Mima lauded the event, saying, “Relationships like these matter more than any meeting, whether formal or informal. These relationships make conversations more natural and require less encouragement.”

 

Mayor Rob Rolison credited the police for the meeting. “These conversations are another part of our department’s community policing and the interaction they have on a daily basis. Talking to one another is what we all need to do.” 

PBA President Kevin Van Wagner, at the meeting, echoed what the mayor had to say.  “We are out here every day listening to the community and working with the residents that want a safe Poughkeepsie.  We are here to help but we encourage the community to help us make the city safe for everyone.  We need to work together.”




Popular Stories