Beacon Listens To Verdict Of Derek Chauvin; Justice and Accountability For George Floyd And World

On a summery Spring Tuesday afternoon, the verdict on Derek Chauvin arrived. This was after national morning news reports of speculation on how this decision could take weeks to deliberate.

Social media started lighting up at 4:30pm when news surfaced that the verdict would be read in court in moments. It had only been 2 days since the trial ended. Personal texts started arriving with predictions. Prep-time for after-school activities for parents and kids began as some people had the TV on live cable news channels or SiriusXM radio to hear live coverage.

Laces for cleats for soccer and flag football, as well as ballet slippers were pulled tight as the verdict was read for ex-police officer Derek Chauvin: Second-Degree Unintentional Murder (Guilty), Third-Degree Murder (Guilty) and Second-Degree Manslaughter (Guilty). The jury took 10-hours to deliberate over 2 days, according to CNN.

Quietly, the Black community has been watching this trial in revived trauma, afraid of no justice, while listening to reports of what the jurists were shown and told. Yet surprising testimonies were given by police training experts condemning the use of force, including the Police Chief Medaria Arradondo of the Minneapolis Police Department, who testified against former police officer Derek Chauvin during the trial: “To continue to apply that level of force to a person proned out, handcuffed behind their back — that in no way, shape or form is anything that is by policy,” said the chief as reported by the New York Times. “It is not part of our training. And it is certainly not part of our ethics or our values.”

Moraya Seeger DeGeare, MA, LMFT, a therapist based in emotional therapy in Beacon who until the last few years also lived in Minneapolis (she was born and raised in Beacon), tagged A Little Beacon Blog with the thought: “As we sit in anxious limbo…waiting. It’s come up a lot in therapy how although only kids at the time - remembering the Rodney King verdict, how this feels the same 30 years ago. Remember that fact, no matter the outcome of this trial. We MUST have the conversations with our kids.”

And each other. Thanks to local people and groups who organically organized over last Summer 2020, Beacon showed up and pulled up for the injustice and mistreatment that has been happening to Black people for ever. Groups like Beacon4BlackLives, which organically started with a few people including Justice McCray, Ciarda Hall, Stefon Seward, Xavier Mayo, and Cedric Parksdale, gave Beacon the opportunity to speak out, and tell stories that have otherwise gone untold or not believed.

Statements From Local Officials

A Little Beacon Blog has reached out for statements from Beacon’s Police Chief Sans Frost, the Vice President of the Beacon Police Union Michael Confield, and Mayor Lee Kayriacou. Should any of them respond, this article will be updated.

UPDATE: The City of Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou has responded with a statement.

Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro has issued a statement via Instagram: “With faith in our justice system, and sincerest prayers to the Floyd family, I’m hopeful out of atrocity today’s verdict will help heal our nation. It won’t bring George Floyd, Gianna’s father back - may we always seek accountability, justice and peace.”

The work has just begun and as George Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, said in a speech after the verdict, “We have to do this for life. We have to protest,” as he spoke of the work ahead as the family celebrated the moment, but vowed to continue for police reform, beginning with the the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act of 2020, co-written by Vice President of the United Sates Kamala Harris.

Locals responded, including Fareground, Poughkeepsie Observer, Beacon Hood Chicken, Zhanes Pallette, Twinkle, Beacon4Black Lives, Yvonne de Salle, and others.

Opportunities To Gather

Those who are wishing for togetherness have an opportunity to gather in Newburgh for an evening organized by former Beacon Councilmember Ali T. Muhammad, who is a Beaconite currently living in Newburgh and running for Orange County Executive. Details are here, and the trip to Newburgh for the event would be worth it. The event will be co-hosted by Melanin Unchained and Ali at Sunset, with a potluck available for those breaking fast for Ramadan. Address is 29 Prospect Street, Newburgh, NY.

City Of Beacon Publishes Names and Ranks Of Police Officers On City's Website

In following up to A Little Beacon Blog’s article last week about the intent of the City of Beacon to publish the names and ranks of police officers onto its website, which had not happened after a month since the announcement, Beacon’s City Administrator, Anthony Ruggiero, announced yesterday (Monday) that the names and ranks of police officers have now been published onto the City’s website in the Police Department section. Photos of the officers are to come, he told ALBB. We also suggested this enhancement to Mayor Kyriacou during a “Wait, What Is That?” podcast episode, who thought it a good idea.

With this information at one’s fingertips, it should be easier to get correct name spelling of an officer or detective, send an officer a Thank You note if they were helpful in a situation, and have better familiarity with who works for the City of Beacon.

You can find the list here on this PDF on the City of Beacon’s website. As of now, it is not dated with an “Updated” type note so as to see which officers no longer work for the City of Beacon, or which officer has been newly appointed. For instance, Officer Ryan Murphy was hired by the City of Beacon in early January 2020, and submitted his letter of resignation two months later on March 6, 2020. Ryan was part of a batch of new hires after the Beacon PBA and the City of Beacon agreed on a new contract which gave the officers retroactive raises of 2% for 2020, with an additional 2% raise slated for 2021 according to an article in the Poughkeepsie Journal. The contract also “decreases compensatory time from 48 hours to 40; compensatory time allows the officers to take time off instead of receiving overtime pay,” according to the article.

At that point, the number of police officers was 37, the highest it has been in years, according to then Chief Kevin Junjulas (since retired). A new hire also included Officer Michael J. Connor, a Beacon High School graduate who transferred from the City of Newburgh Police Department, who had been working for the City of Newburgh, who was let go along with 15 fellow officers and 14 firefighters when the City of Newburgh purged its public safety force due to budget constraints. As of today, according to Beacon’s list of police officers, there are 32.

Beacon's Acting Chief Of Police William Cornett Resigns Mid-Way Through Appointment

Photo Credit: Peter Skorewicz/Video Ventures

Just 40 days into his 90 day temporary term as Beacon’s Acting Chief of Police, William (Bill) Cornett has stepped down from his position, and will return to retirement. Bill, as referred to by those who know him, was appointed to the position by Mayor Lee Kyriacou after Beacon’s then Chief Kevin Junjulas announced his retirement, along with Captain Fredericks, soon after police protests and the Black Lives Matter movement started nation-wide.

Lieutenant Sands Frost, who currently works for Beacon’s Police Department, has been appointed by unanimous vote of the City Council to replace Will Cornett, effective August 17, 2020. Mayor Kyriacou said during the appointment at the 8/17/2020 City Council Meeting that apparently no one had stepped forward to volunteer to be in the position until now. The position will pay a pro-rated percentage of the currently budgeted Police Chief salary, which is $147,733, according to the proposed 2020 budget. Mayor Kyriacou thanked Lieutenant Frost for stepping up, “even if it’s not your first choice sometimes.”

The appointment of William Cornett came with controversy, as the Teamsters Local 445 opposed the appointment, stating that William Cornett had been in retirement too long (retired in 2000). At the meeting to appoint William Cornett, Teamsters Local 445 representative, Mike Pitt, spoke to the benefit of promoting someone from within Beacon’s Police Department: “The Mayor continues to say that it is ‘Acting Police Chief’ and totally disregarding the promotion or acting part of someone who is already in a command position in the Police Department, who can make the transition a lot smoother until you actually make an appointment of a Police Chief, after a thorough search.”

At the August 3rd City Council Meeting, shortly after appointments were announced about who was on the selection committee to pick a new Police Chief, 18 callers called in to voice their opinions. Normally, 15 members of the public are on the call total, and maybe 5 of them speak. One of the residents who spoke during the Public Comment portion was Ciarda Hall, a founding organizer of Beacon4Black Lives. Normally callers need to state their name and address during these public portions of the City Council Meeting. While stating ones name is helpful, stating their address seems an overreach of privacy.

H, I’m Ciarda and I don’t feel safe stating my address .

As many of us know, the Chief of Police resigned last month. Last week, a committee was named to help choose the new Chief of Police in Beacon. It has come to my attention that the first candidate choice from Beacon4BlackLives was disqualified from the committee simply because you disagree with comments they made at the previous City Council Meeting. Comments that our whole team agrees with.

Nobody in the city agrees with your choice of Acting Chief. Residents in the city don’t feel comfortable and there has even been complaints of sexual harassment within the Police Department against him. the only person who agrees with your choice of Acting Chief, is your neighbor and close friend, William Cornett. Oh wait, isn’t that who you chose to be Acting Chief? Tea. Hasn’t he been off-duty for over a decade? Hasn’t there also been reports of him being racist? This is who you chose?

Nothing about the process to choose this committee or acting chief has been transparent and furthermore, how can we trust the integrity of a committee and have hope in positive change if you are only choosing people who agree with your shady politics based solely in re-enforcing white supremacy and maintaining the status quo?

How can we trust someone who is supposed to be our Mayor but has never reached out to me. The girl who created the Beacon4Blacklives team. A team who literally started this movement and shook the room in our entire city. We have got nothing from you but an automated speech that you already know my feelings towards.

Do you even care about black lives? It’s not that hard to show you care. Yet you continue to fail. stand up if you care Mr. Mayor and step down if you don’t. Because your job is not done when you find a new chief like you said it will be. Make a change. Thank you.

A Little Beacon Blog has reached out to the PBA’s Vice President, William Confield, for comment as to rumors of recent allegations of sexual harrasment, as well as to the City Council, Mayor and Administrator. Should we get a response, this article will be updated. What is also not confirmed is when when William Cornett stepped down, if he was asked to resign, if he volunteered, and if the City of Beacon was without a chief for a period of days before Lieutenant Frost’s appointment. We are unable to get a list of officers who work for the Police Department in order to check for who the female police officers are, as the list has not been published to the City’s website yet, but was supposed to be, as was announced in mid-July by Mayor Kyriacou.

Mayor Kyriacou also announced that the City would publish FOIA requests to its website, when members of the public inquire about the backgrounds of police officers. But those requests do not seem to have been published yet.

A Bit Of Beacon History - Real Old School - 1977 and 1988

Officer William Cornett had worked for Beacon for decades, and was on duty during the “racial disturbance” as described by the Poughkeepsie Journal on May 21, 1977. It was during this time that the Spirit of Beacon Day started, as a way to temper racial tensions. At the time, William Cornett was an officer with Beacon’s Police Department, and disputed the release of 3 Black youths (plus 1 who made bail) who were arrested apparently during a riot situation in Beacon.

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Photo Credit: The Poughkeepsie Journal

According to the newspaper from May 21, 1977, “Officer William Cornett, in a prepared statement, said the release of 3 Black youths in their own recognizance 'compounded the violence done by roving bands of thugs.’ Cornett said local citizens should make known opposition to the release. ‘Efforts to protect the public will be futile without their support,’ he said.” The Beacon PBA at the time was also critical of the release of the Black youths, according to the article.

The 1977 article goes on to say that City Court Judge Ian MacDonald released Brian Medley, 17, Ervin Burton, 19, and Michael Bell, 16, following their arraignment on felony riot charges (they are much older today). A fourth defendant, Robert McNair, 16, was held in $1,000 bail pending a later hearing. McNair, back in 1977, was charged with assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. Cornett said McNair posted bail and was free on that Friday afternoon. Then City Court Judge Ian MacDonald honored a request from then Assistant D.A. Thomas Dolan to release the Black youth. “I think the assistant D.A. was right,” the judge said. “I realized the decision might be unpopular. But these were young people and they did not have a criminal record.” MacDonald also noted that the youths had not used weapons, according to the article.

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William Cornett was also in Beacon for a jail cell hanging in 1988. According to a Poughkeepsie Journal 1988 article, the headline of which read: “Theft suspect found hanged in Beacon jail,” went on to explain: “A 36-year-old burglary suspect arrested Saturday by Beacon City Police hanged himself in the Police Department lockup 4 hours after he was taken into custody, police reported.” William Cornett was quoted in the article, and was then a Lieutenant. At the time, he could not release the man’s name, but confirmed that the man had been found hanged in a holding cell at 8pm that evening.

During William Cornett’s appointment to Acting Police Chief in July 2020, Mayor Lee Kyriacou stated that Officer Cornett was the only one the Mayor trusted during Beacon’s dark days of the police department (Mayor Kyriacou and William Cornett are also neighborly and shared a house driveway). Mayor Kyriacou was responsible for launching a Federal Investigation into the Beacon Police Department in the 2000s, which was innitially inspired by Mayor Kyriacou wanting to cut down on overtime pay. Listen to ALBB’s sister podcast, “Wait, What Is That?” to learn all about the Mayor’s experience with the investigation., which led the Beacon Police Department to become accredited, a rarity in these parts that other municipalities like Fishkill are now trying to earn. Former Mayor Randy Casale also speaks on the podcast about the dark days and his role in putting body cameras on Beacon Police Officers.

Beacon's PBA (Police Union) and City Mayor Issue Joint Statement Of Respect and Communication

After a volley of open letters to each other (here, here and here…with a scathing letter from the Local Teamster 445, to which ALBB sought clarification for intentions here), Beacon’s Police Benevolent Association (PBA) by way of Vice President Michael Confield and Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou have issued a joint statement of support and cooperation to move forward with direct communication with each other. This also follows a “Support The Beacon PD” rally in Beacon last Sunday, which was met with voices from the Black Lives Movement.

The City of Beacon issued the following press release on Monday, July 27, 2020:

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BEACON, NY: Mayor Lee Kyriacou and Beacon PBA Vice President Michael Confield jointly announced their commitment for the City and police union to communicate regularly and productively on issues affecting police, the City and the community.

Late Friday afternoon and on Sunday, representatives of the Beacon Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association met with City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero and Mayor Lee Kyriacou for lengthy open and productive conversations – involving listening, information sharing, assurances of respect and agreement on communication going forward.

Mayor Kyriacou and PBA Vice President Confield together stated, “We’re both appreciative of the open dialogue and are committed to making sure that city and police leadership are listening and sharing viewpoints.”

Separately, Mayor Kyriacou said, “I truly appreciate and applaud the PBA for reaching out, and working together to close the communication gap. All of us agreed that we should have reached out sooner, and that going forward, the communication will be frequent and open.”

PBA Vice President Confield also added, “Our conversations were very productive. We appreciate the Mayor’s and Administrator’s willingness to hear our concerns, and look forward to ensuring that everyone is heard in the ongoing process of improving police-community relations.”

The Mayor added, “Each time I greet an officer, my first words are ‘thank you’ and more recently, ‘I appreciate the difficult situation you are in.’ That support continues unabated.”

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UPDATE: Clarifying 2 Points In Teamsters Local 445 Letter Re Gun And Bullet Proof Vests

Two points were introduced in the 3rd letter from the Beacon Police Union - by way of the Teamsters Local 445 letter - but verification was not provided. Being that these were large assertions, A Little Beacon Blog followed up with the Mayor’s Office for confirmation. This morning, we received clarification from City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero as to the two points from the last letter from the police union. They are as follows:

Bullet Proof Vests

In exploring what a re-imagined police department and policies look like, Beacon’s City Council has held a public community forum to hear feedback from the community, and invited police officers to 2 City Council Workshop meetings to discuss data and current policy. Everything from how data is collected and reported, to the visual impact of a bullet proof vest on emotional escalation have been mentioned.

No formal policies have been proposed in this introductory discovery phase. Governor Cuomo has also mandated that each municipality come up with their own police policy, or face a denial of federal funding. The deadline for that proposal is April 1, 2021. During this past week’s City Council Workshop Meeting 7/13/2020, Mayor Kyriacou proposed a timetable as to how this project can get done in time. The Governor signed this on June 12, 2020: “Governor Cuomo Signs Executive Order to Reinvent and Modernize Police Strategies and Programs” Beacon’s City Council started this process before it was a state mandate, as A Little Beacon Blog reported earlier.

The past 2 letters from the Beacon Police Union have mentioned the fear of having bullet proof vests removed from officers when they answer police calls. The last letter read: “For the past several weeks, Mayor Kyriacou and the Council have continued their push of anti-police rhetoric and policies, which have included the thought of disarming and de-vesting police.“

A Little Beacon Blog asked for confirmation from the city about the removal of bullet proof vests, if that is indeed what the letter and term “de-vest” referred to, and received the following answer from Anthony Ruggiero: “I know residents have brought this up at the public portion of the meetings, but to the best of my knowledge, I do not believe any Council Members have proposed this.”

The Police Chief Carrying A Gun

A second point made in the letter, which was a continuation of a verbal comment made by union representative Mike Pitt, was certification of the Acting Police Chief William (Bill) Cornett, being that he was in retirement for a number of years. During the appointment, Mayor Kyriacou stated in response that legally, the city was cleared to hire Bill. A Little Beacon Blog followed up with the city to get a response from the City’s attorney for added clarification, and received it (you can read that legalese here).

In its most recent letter, the which was not signed but was on union letterhead that includes the names Dan Maldonado, President, and Barry Russell, Secretary-Treasurer, the letter insinuated that because of the length of time in retirement, the Acting Police Chief would be limited in his capacity as a police officer. The letter stated:

“Without that certification, the appointed temporary Chief ‘lacks the power to execute arrest and search warrants, make arrests without a warrant and use physical or deadly force in making an arrest when necessary’; he ‘may not lawfully carry a firearm without a license if he is not certified as a police officer.’ 2003 N.Y. Op. (Inf.) Atty’ Gen. 1. If this Chief sees a crime being committed, he cannot make an arrest; he needs to call the police.”

A Little Beacon Blog inquired with the City to see if arresting someone or being in the line of duty was the primary responsibility of this Acting Police Chief for the 90 days he is in the position during a time of administrative transition. Anthony Ruggiero responded: “The Chief of Police position lends itself to be more administrative, very similar to other Department Head positions.”

Beacon’s Mayor Kyriacou Responds To Teamster 445 Letter Regarding Acting Police Chief Decision

Just 24 hours after the Teamsters Local 445 issued their open letter on social media, Beacon’s Mayor Kyriacou issued the following press release on Tuesday evening. It is published in full below.

It appears that the parties involved - the Beacon PBA, Teamsters Local 445, and the Mayor and City Council have not had a meeting sitting around a table together. Perhaps as policy reforms happen, they will. Until then, the method of letters and press releases seems to be the method of communication.

Beacon’s police officers have attended 2 City Council meetings in order to answer questions and provide feedback to the City Council as the group dives in to understand how the department works before making any decisions or recommendations, including current Lieutenant Figlia who has provided helpful information and feedback.

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Beacon City Mayor Lee Kyriacou expressed disappointment that the police union is resorting to intimidation and escalation – exactly the opposite behavior of what is appropriate in today’s charged environment.  The Mayor pointed out that such belligerent tactics do not represent the training or behavior of the city’s police officers, and that his door remains open to calm, constructive discussion.

Late yesterday, just before a City Council meeting, some City officials became aware of a letter posted online – but not actually sent to anyone in the City – from the Teamsters Local 445 and the City of Beacon Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association.  One newspaper called seeking a response before the Mayor had even seen or read a copy.  

Upon review of the material today, which contain non-specific and unsupported assertions, the Mayor made the following statement:

“I have supported the honorable men and women of the Beacon Police Department from my first day in office six months ago.  In hundreds of individual interactions with officers since then, my first words have always been ‘thank you’ and most recently, ‘I appreciate the difficult situation you are in.’  That support continues unabated – and is never inconsistent with either listening to the concerns of our community or asking questions to consider what change may be needed.

“I am deeply disappointed by the approach of the police union, which has resorted to intimidation and escalation in a highly charged environment – where the community-building approach should be outreach and dialogue.  Neither I nor the City Administrator has received a single meeting request, call or email from the leadership of the PBA, requesting a discussion or anything else.  Other than a statement from the PBA that I offered to read at a protest, I have heard nothing from them.

“Our police officers are all trained in and must practice de-escalation.  The police union tactics ignore de-escalation training – at a time when our community needs to come together.  I would encourage them to reach out and be constructive – my door remains open for calm, honest discussion.

“The PBA’s dissatisfaction came to light immediately upon the unanimous appointment of former Beacon Lieutenant William Cornett as Acting Police Chief, to fill in for the short-notice retirement of our chief and captain.  I chose someone with a long history in the Beacon police, with a record of integrity and transparency, and with no interest in continuing in the role.  That choice safeguards our community, our police department and the City, as we search for permanent leadership.  If the PBA is disgruntled at not being able to hand-pick leadership, that simply reflects their failure to engage in dialogue as well as unrealistic expectations.”

“Finally, let me reiterate some of the things I have said in public.  I have repeatedly discussed the department’s successful completion of a lengthy U.S. Department of Justice oversight process, as well its continuing accreditation by the NYS Law Enforcement Accreditation Program – the latter an achievement shared by only a handful of local departments.  And while anyone who has observed me on City Council knows I am incredibly protective of spending taxpayer dollars, I have made no definitive statements regarding funding levels of the police department going forward. 

“Again, my door remains open.”

Teamsters Local 445, Who Represent Beacon Police, Issue Open Letter On Facebook - Without Contacting City - Regarding Mayor And City Council During Reform Period

The Teamsters Local 445, which is connected to Beacon’s Police Benevolent Association (BPA), issued an open letter to Beacon’s City Council on July 15 and published it to Facebook. According to Mayor Kyriacou, the letter was not sent to the city directly. Their letter is in response to the recent appointment of Acting Chief of Police, William Cornett. During that public appointment, a representative of Local 445, Mike Pitt, proclaimed: “We’re going to follow this closely.“

A Little Beacon Blog has reached out to the president of Beacon’s BPA, Michael Confield, for comment, but has not received a response yet. If we do, the response will be published here.

Mayor Kyriacou has since responded with a press release in response which has been published in full here, expressing “disappointment that the police union is resorting to intimidation and escalation – exactly the opposite behavior of what is appropriate in today’s charged environment.

The open letter from Teamsters Local 445 has bee republished in full below:

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Teamsters Local 445, a public and private sector labor union based in the Newburgh, New York area, with almost 3,000 members, including about 250 members in its Law Enforcement Division in Orange, Sullivan, Ulster, and Dutchess County Police Departments, supports its law enforcement members in the City of Beacon.

On behalf of the men and women of the City of Beacon Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, we write this open letter after a majority voted to release the Association’s position. Unfortunately, circumstances have left us with no other recourse. We have lost all trust, faith, and confidence in the Mayor and City Council’s ability to lead this city and the police department during these trying times.

For the past several weeks, Mayor Kyriacou and the Council have continued their push of anti-police rhetoric and policies, which have included the thought of disarming and de-vesting police. How does one comprehend a police officer’s response to an emergency call without a weapon or protective gear?

The Mayor and Council have failed to correct untrue public accusations of police mis-conduct. This failure could lead to a wholly unfounded, dangerous reaction from the public, causing a dangerous environment for the members of the police department, as well as the public.

The Mayor and Council have shown zero support for the police department during these times. Talk of defunding or significantly cutting the department’s costs and of cutting its already dangerously low staffing level are some of the only talk they show the department. This department is an accredited police agency in New York State; an honor that few departments in the area still retain.

After the leader of the department offered to lead this accredited agency through these times without a chief in place, the Mayor and Council recently voted to appoint a temporary police chief who has not worked actively as a police officer since almost the year 2000. The Mayor and Council have stated that they want a smooth transition to the next police chief as leader of the department, but they seem to have an agency very different from minimal support, let alone different from the best interests, of the men and women who serve all day every day.

In the course of the Council meeting in which the Council voted to appoint the temporary Chief, Teamsters Law Enforcement Division representative Pitt pointed out that the certification of this appointee must have lapsed due to the length of his time not serving as a police officer since retirement in 2000. As per General Municipal Law 209-q, the certification required for police officers by law lapses after four (4) years. Without that certification, the appointed temporary Chief “lacks the power to execute arrest and search warrants, make arrests without a warrant and use physical or deadly force in making an arrest when necessary”; he “may not lawfully carry a firearm without a license if he is not certified as a police officer.” 2003 N.Y. Op. (Inf.) Atty’ Gen. 1. If this Chief sees a crime being committed, he cannot make an arrest; he needs to call the police.

The Council has spoken about reform, but you cannot have reform without funding. You do not deescalate by defunding the police. If you want the most qualified and most trained officers on your street, you cannot defund yet expect to keep, not to mention improve, the quality and level of service that these men and women currently give this great city.

In closing, we would like to reiterate that the men and women of the Beacon City Police Department PBA have lost all trust, faith, and confidence in Mayor Kyriacou and the entire City Council’s ability to lead this city.

About Teamsters Local 445 Union

Teamsters Local 445 is a public and private sector labor union based in the Newburgh, New York area, with almost 3,000 members, including about 250 members in its Law Enforcement Division in Orange, Sullivan, Ulster, and Dutchess County Police Departments.

View the original announcement on Beacon’s PBA Facebook Page.

Beacon Appoints Acting Chief Of Police, Bill Cornett For 90 Days; Beacon PBA Representative Responds, Mayor Gives His Reasons

After Beacon’s Police Chief and Captain each gave their 30 days notice of entering retirement, which commenced on July 7, 2020, the City of Beacon has been seeking a new Police Chief. Mayor Lee Kyriacou announced at this week’s City Council 7/6/2020 meeting that they have found a temporary, “Acting” Police Chief for no more than 90 days, who has come out of retirement to serve. Bill Cornett has accepted the position, and is no stranger to Beacon. He lives in Beacon, and served on the force during Beacon’s darker period of excessive overtime, leadership change, and the Department of Justice investigation.

Before the appointment, a member of the public called in during the Public Comment portion of the meeting to say that he wished for a pause in order for a thoughtful appointment to occur. Council person Dan Aymar-Blair asked for a hiring freeze. Mayor Kyriacou presented the appointment with the following logic:

“Civil Service Law requires that we have ay chief for any police force greater than 4 people. There was an earlier discussion...We went down the initial path that we would have an Acting Police Chief from within the department, and we made a decision after examining that, that we should not do so. What we're doing here is making it very clear here that we are not advantaging anyone in this process, we are not pre-disposing anyone in any direction in this process. What we are trying to do is to have someone fill the spot on a purely temporary basis, not a permanent one, and it be an acting position for up to but not more than 90 days. In doing so, we will enable an open and deliberate process to find the full chief. So view this as the first step in the process. Finding the chief will be a longer process.”

Civil Service Requirements As They Pertain To Hiring Service Employees

The new Acting Police Chief worked for the City of Beacon during a major time of transition. The 2002-2007 period was an exceptionally difficult time in the City, where Mayor Kyriacou was challenging the expenditures of overtime, which led to a number of leadership issues within the police department, which lead to multiple lawsuits, both internal and external. This eventually led to a request by the City of Beacon to the Department of Justice to investigate the Beacon Police Department, which resulted in some reforms, ending in 2010.

During that period of time, Bill Cornett was the Senior Lieutenant. Said Mayor Kyriacou during the City Council meeting the night of the appointment: “Of anyone in the department during that period that I trusted, that provided me straight answers that was by the book, it was [then] Lieutenant Bill Cornett. Bill was one of the few people in the department during that period to have a college education. He is a Fordum Grad with a Bachelors Degree in Sociology and a Minor in Philosophy and Theology. I think it served him exceptionally well. Again, I trust Bill with my life. He was instrumental in helping the process of going from what I would describe as an Old Boys Department to the professionalization of our police force.

”We had to change our leadership. We demoted a Chief to Lieutenant; we were sued multiple times; I was targeted; I was investigated. I had all sorts of interesting things occur. During all that time, the person that I trusted and always gave me straight answers was Bill Cornett. During that time, the City discovered that Bill was Acting Chief at times, which means that under Civil Service, he is capable of taking the position [today].”

Bill responded to the appointment with the following: "I look forward to serving the city, and I am also looking forward to returning to retirement. Yes, the 90 days is a good time." The City of Beacon’s press release on the announcement stated that Bill has not interested in the permanent position. Bill is quoted in the press release: “If I can help my community during a difficult transition, I stand ready to serve.”

A Representative From Teamsters Local 445 Representing Beacon’s PBA Responds

Later in the meeting during the 2nd Public Comment period, Mike Pitt, the Business Agent for the Teamsters Local 445 which represents the City of Beacon’s PBA (Police Benevolent Association, the police union) called in to voice his opinion. Mike expressed concern with the Civil Service requirements, with regards to Mike thinking that retired police officers lose their certification after 4 years of not working as a police officer. “I’m interested in seeing how this is possible,” Mike stated.

Mike continued by encouraging the route of hiring from within, and issued the following statement: “The Mayor continues to say that it is “Acting Police Chief” and totally disregarding the promotion or acting part of someone who is already in a command position in the police department, who can make the transition a lot smoother until you actually make an appointment of a police chief, after a thorough search.

“To get certified in a police department as “accredited” is a huge accomplishment for a police department. To get that, the City of Beacon showed that the administration did their job. That means the police officers did their job. It shows that the men and women there have followed the regulations, followed the rules, and the state saw that.

“It’s something that you need to take into consideration. You’re bringing in someone who hasn’t worked in 18 years. He’s not today’s world of police work, where you guys are trying to disarm police going to calls. I don’t understand that. I don’t think anybody in the union does. I look forward to hearing that point. You’re saying that it’s not appropriate for somebody to get put in this position who is in the command position now in the City of Beacon Police Department. I think the men and women deserve better. We’re going to follow this closely. We hope that you make the right decision moving forward.”

The Mayor responded that he had been advised by council and Civil Service that the Ts were crossed and Is were dotted. Bill rose his hand to speak: “Good evening!” he said, and alluded to work he had done recently with local organizations. “It’s nice to be back! Even if I am one of the dinosaurs.”

A Little Beacon Blog pursued the legalese of the crossed Ts and dotted Is, and received this response from the City of Beacon’s attorney:

“The appointment of the Chief of Police, be it temporary or permanent, is not subject to any Union rules. The Chief of Police is not a member of the Beacon PBA. The Chief of Police’s position is outside the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City and the Beacon PBA and therefore not subject to any limitations, other than those promulgated by New York State and Dutchess County Civil Service Department Rules and Regulations. The temporary appointment of William Cornett to Acting Chief of Police is consistent with the requirements of Civil Service Law for the position of Chief of Police, which is Five (5) years of permanent competitive status as a Police Lieutenant or seven (7) years of permanent competitive status as a Police Lieutenant and/or Police Sergeant. William Cornett served as Police Lieutenant in the City of Beacon from 1987 to 2002. Moreover, the expiration of Mr. Cornett’s NYS certification is irrelevant to this appointment. 2003 N.Y. Op. Atty. Gen. (Inf.) 1001 (N.Y.A.G.), 2003 N.Y. Op. Atty. Gen. No. 1, 2003 WL 326937.”

About Bill Cornett

Bill Cornett is a former Beacon Police Department Lieutenant and is a lifelong Beacon resident. According to the City of Beacon’s press release: “During his career in the Beacon Police Department, Bill was FBI certified as an instructor in de-escalation techniques. He initiated the STOP-DWI program, prepared and submitted Uniform Crime Reports to the FBI, oversaw Beacon’s Traffic Division, and served on the Dutchess County Traffic Safety Board. Bill retired from the department in 2002 as senior lieutenant and continues to live in Beacon.”

Beacon's Union (PBA) Publishes Letter To City Council In Response To Stories Told By Public At Scheduled Listening Sessions After Peaceful Protest Marches

After a series of scheduled story and listening sessions outdoors after peaceful protest marches down Beacon’s Main Street, the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association of Beacon issued a statement via letter published on Facebook on June 19, 2020 in response to one of the stories shared with the public on the stage following one of the marches. The story involves a black man being shot by a police officer in 2006. You can read a picture of the letter here on Facebook, and we have retyped it below for easy access:

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To The Beacon City Council,

We feel it necessary to address some issues that could greatly impact this great community. The members of the PBA stand by our previous statement condemning the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis officers. We have also kept our word by setting up a safe environment for each protest and demonstration over the past few weeks.

We have performed our sworn duty to this city with professionalism as we watch police across the nation being villainized, slandered and attacked. Our members have not been exempt from these feelings here in our own city. Thankfully, we are able to keep some kind of morale due to a large of amount of support from the community as well.

Regardless of people’s assumptions, we are listening to the people at the protests, council meetings and general interactions with the community. While we still support the right of free speech, we cannot stand by and allow the truth to be twisted and inaccuracies to be used as the continued rhetoric against police. Many of the incidents as told by speakers of the movement are not accurate. We implore you, as elected leaders of this community to do your due diligence and research the facts of some of these incidents.

We must specifically address the inaccurate story of the police involved shooting that took place on October 26th 2006. The statement that a City of Beacon police office shot a woman’s son for “no reason” is a complete mistruth and dangerous statement for the public to believe. The event in question started with a suspicious vehicle complaint, called into our station by a resident of the city. As a uniformed City of Beacon police officer approached the vehicle to speak with the male occupant, the male occupant immediately fired two shots at that officer through the vehicles window, striking the officer in the chest. If not for the body amour worn by officer, on a Tuesday at 1:45pm, responding to a simple suspicious vehicle call, that officer would have been killed as testified to by a medical expert. If not for the firearm carried, as per department guidelines by his backup officer, that officer would not have been able to return fire, saving his injured partner, himself and possibly another uninvolved innocent person.

It is false allegations, like the public allegations that an innocent man was shot for “no reasons” by a Beacon police officer with no repercussion that creates a greater anger towards and mistrust of the police. This story should have been corrected publicly to the crowd to prevent fear and anger to spread.

We ask that prior to making any statements or decisions regarding your police department that may slander the good, hard working members of the Beacon Police, you do your research. Please seek the truth in regards to allegations used as examples of police brutality, as any misinformation could cause irreversible damage to this city.

Thank you,

The members of the Beacon PBA

EDITOR’S NOTE: That story was published as part of a transcript series on A Little Beacon Blog. The story was told at the first march with the listening session. You can read that story here.

Letter from the Beacon Police Union, Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, In Response To George Floyd's Murder

On June 3, 2020, Beacon’s Police Union, known as the Patrolman’s Benevolent Association, Inc. published a letter on Facebook in response to the murder of George Floyd. The letter document itself was not dated, but there is a date indicated on the the social media platform. From a linguistic point of view, the language used in this letter is the strongest used when paired with the Mayor Kyriacou and the Police Chief Kevin Junjulas’ statements, which can be found here.

Mayor Kyriacou began reading this letter aloud during a large protest in Beacon at the riverfront on June 6, 2020, and was interrupted by young adults at the protest, who rejected the letter and felt compelled to share their stories of treatment by the Beacon police. In Facebook, people responded by thanking the police for their service, and for issuing the statement, and noting that there had been silence since the initial rejection of police policy with the nation-wide protests.

To Our Beacon Community and Friends,

Since the unconscionable murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers last week we, the members of the Beacon PBA have been struggling to find the words to express our emotions. It should not have to be said, but absolutely needs to be said that each and every member of the Beacon PBA condemns the murder of Mr. Floyd and the actions by all four of the involved officers in Minneapolis.

As police officers we take our oath seriously to protect and serve each and every one of you and your constitutional rights regardless of race, gender, religion, political party, or age. On the much larger scale, as human beings we respect and cherish all life. That is why watching the video and following this incident, it is sickening to all of us to see evil in those that have taken similar oaths.

Please believe that we are proud to serve in the City of Beacon and respect the lives and rights of every single resident, business owner and visitor. We will still stand proud wearing the uniform and patch of the City Beacon Department. We will stand tall and strong with you and protect your rights to express you voices, beliefs and causes in a peaceful and safe setting.

We are a diverse community and with support and respect for each other we will continue to be a strong community.

On behalf of the Beacon PBA, thank you and God bless all of you.

Officer Michael Confield
Beacon PBA Vice President