Honor for former police chief sought
KINGSTON, N.Y. » City aldermen are considering naming the Kingston police headquarters in honor of former Chief James K. Riggins who led the department for approximately 10 years.
Alderman Steven Schabot, D-Ward 8, said the Common Council’s General Government/Public Safety Committee on Wednesday gave initial approval to a resolution naming the police headquarters, located at 1 Garraghan Drive, as “The Chief James K. Riggins, Jr. Police Headquarters.” The resolution will go to the full council for consideration on Sept. 6.
“I felt good about this,” Schabot said Friday. He said when he was employed by Ulster County he did a lot of work with Riggins, who became police chief in April 1988.
Schabot, who chairs the General Government/Public Safety Committee, said the naming request came from Riggins’ family.
“Jim was a real professional,” Schabot said. “He was good to work with.”
Riggins died in May 1998 following a battle with cancer. The Kingston native was 50.
Riggins joined the Kingston Police Department as a patrolman in 1970. During his career, he also served as a detective, sergeant and lieutenant before becoming deputy chief and then chief. Riggins took over the top police job from retired chief Julius M. Glassman.
During his career, Riggins received an assortment of law-enforcement awards. Among them: the Ulster County Legislature Award of Merit in 1992 for involvement in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program; outstanding law enforcement officer in America, as picked by the executive board of the International Police Management Association in 1990; and the New York State Moose Association Lawman of the Year Award for Outstanding Police Service in 1983.