fbpx
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Sign up for Free Newsletter
  • Print Edition
    • Get Home Delivery
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Customer Support
    • Submit A News Tip
    • Where’s My Paper?
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial
Hudson Valley One
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Log In
No Result
View All Result
Hudson Valley One
No Result
View All Result

New Paltz Town Board wants rapping cop disciplined and/or fired

by Terence P. Ward
July 8, 2020
in Politics & Government
16
New Paltz police officer’s rap video leads to accusations of transphobia 

New Paltz’s town board met in executive session last Wednesday to decide what to do about town police officer Robert Sisco, who posted a politically-charged rap online apparently recorded when he was on duty. Some have come out in support of the officer. More have loudly called for his termination, A few would like to see the members of the town board follow him out the door. The elected officials are now saying they plan on convening a community coalition to look at policing.

New Paltz Town Supervisor Neil Bettez called another special meeting for Monday, June 29. That second meeting lasted nearly two hours, with three minutes four seconds being available to the public. Supervisor Bettez indicated that Sisco was present during that executive session.

Upon emerging, council members unanimously passed the following resolution without discussion: “Be it resolved, that the board determines that formal disciplinary charges seeking a penalty up to and including termination will be preferred by the chief of police against Officer Sisco and that such disciplinary charges shall be in accordance with Article V, Title B of the Civil Service Law of the State of New York and the applicable terms of the collective bargaining agreement.” That collective bargaining agreement does not appear to be available on the town web site.

Sisco posted a rap video to the Instagram account for his business, Black Mamba Rifle Co., during which he is seen wearing his uniform, identifies himself as a police officer, and is apparently in a patrol vehicle. Over a minute and ten seconds he hits on a number of charged political topics including race relations and violence by police. The parts that sparked outrage were a declaration that only two genders were valid and the suggestion that Hillary Clinton ought to be hanged for treason.

Thursday’s special meeting was on a personnel matter, which was widely understood to be about Sisco, although board members aren’t allowed to say so in public. After about two and a half hours, that executive session was concluded without any action being taken. “We’re going to continue reviewing the records and see what our options are moving forward based on our attorney’s advice,” said Supervisor Bettez.

The New Paltz Town Board (L-T): David Brownstein, Alexandra Baer, Supervisor Neil Bettez, Dan Torres and Julie Seyfert-Lillis. (Photo by Lauren Thomas)

Member David Brownstein announced Thursday that the town board’s regular meeting of July 2 will have other police issues on the agenda. The transcript of the questions asked at the community town hall on policing “and our best effort of answering those questions” are expected to be ready at that time. Brownstein said that meeting will be presenting “our initial draft plans for convening a community coalition to explore police reformation and transformation.”

A letter on behalf of the Concerned Parents of New Paltz to the town board read by Edgar Rodriguez said that it was time for the members of the town board to resign because of their “historic failure to adequately address cases of racist violence committed by police that has laid bare a pattern of conduct that can clearly be identified as institutional racism.” 

The group’s prime exhibit of institutional racism has been the Paul Echols’ case, in which an officer struck the already-injured Echols in the back of a patrol car while trying to get him inside the vehicle. The police commission found officer Robert Knoth had not used excessive force as defined in the department’s policies. Echols was later found not guilty of resisting arrest by a jury of his peers, and is now suing Knoth — since retired — personally for “excessive and unreasonable force against plaintiff …. causing the fracturing of plaintiff’s jaw and other injuries.” According to testimony at Echols’ trial, he was also struck in the jaw by another individual a few minutes prior to being arrested.

The town’s independent police commission was dissolved in 2013. The town board now serves in that role, which includes preparing the department’s budget and reviewing disciplinary actions. There has been a call to return to some kind of independent oversight.

The Concerned Parents of New Paltz has expressed a lack of confidence in board members on issues of race, and imagines creation of an independent oversight group being created “while we await your resignation decision.” A civilian review commission with members selected by and for various stakeholder groups in the community would be charged with developing a plan “to challenge, defund and reinvent all four occupying police forces in our town” by reallocating resources to crisis counselors and other situations where police are frequently asked to step in.

In an earlier version of the letter that was read during a virtual town hall on policing, Rodriguez had asserted that the town was named as a defendant in Echols’ federal lawsuit. His attorney, Michael Sussman, confirmed that this was not the case. In acknowledging the error, Rodriguez called it “a misunderstanding.”

Thank you for reading Hudson Valley One. We rely on your support to continue providing local, substantive news. Please check out our subscription options to keep local journalism alive in the Hudson Valley.
- Geddy Sveikauskas, Publisher
Previous Post

Food worries boost business at local nurseries

Next Post

Olana announces reopening with launch of new outdoor tours 

Terence P. Ward

Terence P Ward resides in New Paltz, where he reports on local events, writes books about religious minorities, tends a wild garden and communes with cats.

Related Posts

Zoning code questioned in New Paltz
Politics & Government

Zoning code questioned in New Paltz

July 2, 2022
Join BioBlitz in Woodstock
Environment

Woodstock board weighs consequences of land designation in Zena

June 30, 2022
Shrestha upsets Cahill while Hochul, Delgado prevail in Dem primaries
Politics & Government

Shrestha upsets Cahill while Hochul, Delgado prevail in Dem primaries

June 30, 2022
Woodstock assessor Marc Plate retiring
Politics & Government

Saugerties code aide retires, comes back part time

June 25, 2022
Election 2018: Who’s on the ballot?
Politics & Government

State primaries are June 28

June 24, 2022
Discovering how to fix the Discovery Institute
Politics & Government

Saugerties planner Ken Goldberg resigns

June 24, 2022
Next Post
Arts notes (6/3/20)

Olana announces reopening with launch of new outdoor tours 

Please login to join discussion

Trending News

  • Shrestha upsets Cahill while Hochul, Delgado prevail in Dem primaries 1.9k views
  • Planned auto repair shop in Saugerties concerns neighbors 1.5k views
  • Kingston holiday fireworks 1.2k views
  • No contractors available for Saugerties schools work 797 views
  • Shaggy lawns may mean fines in Saugerties 688 views







Latest HV1 Podcast

Weather

Kingston
◉
68°
Sunny
5:25am8:34pm EDT
Feels like: 68°F
Wind: 1mph E
Humidity: 65%
Pressure: 30.03"Hg
UV index: 4
MonTueWed
84/63°F
84/68°F
84/59°F
Weather forecast Kingston, New York ▸

Ulster County COVID-19 Active Cases

Subscribe

Independent. Local. Substantive. Subscribe now.

  • Subscribe & Support
  • Sign up for Free Newsletter
  • Print Edition
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial

© 2022 Ulster Publishing

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Contact Us
    • Customer Support
    • Advertise
    • Submit A News Tip
  • Print Edition
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
    • Where’s My Paper
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Log In
  • Free HV1 Trial

© 2022 Ulster Publishing