DUTCHESS COUNTY – The number of police officers in the City of Poughkeepsie is rapidly declining due to a number of recent retirements and transfers, and more cops are eligible to retire any day now. Current members of the department are encouraging eligible candidates to take the upcoming Civil Service exam for Deputy Sheriff/Police Officer to replenish the ranks. The deadline to register for the exam is July 24, 2023.
The full list of eligibility requirements for the written exam can be found here. To apply for the exam, click here.
The City of Poughkeepsie police manpower shortage is a “crisis” according to PBA President Kevin VanWagner. There are currently 84 sworn members in the department, including Chief Tom Pape and two captains. That leaves 81 officers doing street-level police work, despite an agreement with the city to maintain staffing at 92 officers. Of the 84 officers, five are out on restrictive duty, and one is still in the academy, bringing the number of officers on the street down to 75. “We’re losing police officers at an alarming rate while struggling to fill their positions with newly hired officers,” he recently told the city council. “Since 2017 the department has lost 50 police officers through retirement, lateral transfers to other agencies, and resignations.”
Twenty-four officers are eligible to retire at any moment. Of the officers, 33 of them have 17 or more years on the force, equating to 41% of the department. The remaining 34 officers have six years or less on the job. VanWagner noted that, from the time a candidate takes the upcoming exam on September 9, more than a year will pass between the background checks and the police academy, meaning that successful recruits will not be patrolling the city until January 2025 at the earliest.
Dutchess County Sheriff Kirk Imperati is a 30-year veteran of law enforcement and also wants more candidates to take the upcoming exam. “An individual that is considering taking the police officer/deputy sheriff exam should take it if they want to make a difference in their community. A person who likes to protect, help and ensure public safety should take this exam,” he beamed, while recalling his career to this point. “If you want to keep our community safe where people want to build their businesses and raise their families take this exam.”
