Spa City gets new police chief
Shane Crooks is sworn in to lead Saratoga Springs department
The city’s 21st chief of police promised to uphold his new duties by adhering to the words hanging on his office walls: honor, integrity and respect.
“Every officer knows these words are important to me,” said Chief Shane Crooks, who was sworn in on Tuesday evening at the city’s Recreation Center. “They also know there is a fourth word; that is accountability. Not just for the officers, but for myself. I will lead by example . ... I owe that to the community and the officers I am responsible for.”
Crooks made the vow to his family, residents, fellow officers, and city and Saratoga County officials who attended the ceremony celebrating the 15-year veteran who was selected last month to replace retired Chief Gregory Veitch. The 43-yearold, who has worked his way up the ranks, will now oversee a department of 73 officers.
“I do not take this responsibility lightly,” he said after vowing to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the nation, the state and the city.
Commissioner of Public Safety Peter Martin told Crooks — who has served as a patrol officer, investigator, sergeant and patrol division lieutenant — he is pleased that he has accepted the challenge.
“You now have the opportunity to put your stamp on the city of Saratoga Springs and our police department,” Martin told Crooks in his remarks. “I have great confidence in the choice we have made in our next chief of the Saratoga Springs Police Department.”
Martin also said that ethics must be ingrained in all that he does.
“Integrity starts at the top,” Martin said. “And then must be actively spread, taught, examined and refreshed . ... I implore you to create a culture throughout the department where ethics is paramount and take the steps to assure yourself and the public that there are no deviations. Trust is the most valuable asset of the Saratoga Springs Police Department. Once it’s lost it’s very difficult to reacquire.”
Martin said the department has not been immune to scandal. While it went unmentioned, among those scandals was the case of 21-year-old Daryl Mount Jr., who was fell into a coma after a police chase in August 2013. Mount later died. At the time, police said he fell off a scaffold and was injured. His family never believed that story. Though an internal investigation was promised, then-chief Veitch did not launch one.
In recent months, activists have demanded an internal investigation. Martin held fast, saying it was not necessary. Asked after the ceremony if one should be conducted, Crooks said he couldn’t comment because, at this point, he didn’t know.
However, he did say that community policing will be a priority.
“We are going to do as much outreach to the public as possible,” Crooks said.