Community-vetted patrolmen join force
Three new officers have joined the ranks of the Schenectady police.
And while the badge ceremonies occur several times annually, the most recent event was unique in that the three rookies were the first to be vetted before a community panel designed to weed out problem officers.
Newly minted patrolmen Nolan P. Carroll, Renaldo M. Mcfarlane and Joshua D. Clifford, the chief ’s nephew, each appeared before the five-member panel, who peppered them with questions about bias, their attitudes towards policing and the Black Lives Matter movement, and how they’d approach patrolling communities dramatically different than those in which they
were raised.
“I believe they have an understanding of what is expected of them,” said William Rivas, the community activist who is credited with conceptualizing the panel.
Each patrolman said the experience gave them valuable insight into the neighborhoods they’ll be policing.
Mcfarlane, who is from rural Canajoharie, said the process was valuable in helping to familiarize him with neighborhood issues.
He’s also Latino and said he will draw upon his background to connect with residents.
“I can use my background to relate to some guys and girls,” Mcfarlane said. “I feel like [the panel] was really helpful in getting insights from community members.”
A poor appearance won’t entirely derail a candidate, officials have said, but is rather designed to provide an additional tool in their assessment of police recruits.
Despite Schenectady nearly reaching a “majority-minority” city status, the vast majority of the Schenectady Police Department is white, a disparity the department has pledged to address as part of the suite of state-mandated police reforms adopted earlier this spring.
“I’m excited to see the next level when they hone the relationships they’ve built with [the community],” said city Police Chief Eric Clifford. “This is the way we’re really going to crowdsource engagement.”
Officials have touted the effort as groundbreaking. Rivas said the panel is among the first of its kind in the nation. “This is a great feeling,” he said.
Rivas, who attended the recent ceremony at City Hall, said each of the recruits came in “open, honest and authentic and willing to be the best version of themselves.”
The effort, he said, is not steered by police influence, nor is it mere window dressing.
“It’s community-driven and not diluted by the police chief,” Rivas said.
The additional layer of scrutiny joins other measures the department has implemented over the years to toughen its hiring standards, including requiring a psychological evaluation and a polygraph test.
Five people sit on the panel. Joining Rivas are Civilian Police Review Board Chairman (and City Council candidate) Carl Williams, city Affirmative Action Officer Ron Gardner; Khamali Brown, who serves as director of special projects at the SEAT (Social Enterprise and Training) Center, and Jamel Muhammad, who leads violence interruption efforts in the city.
“We all add our own special ingredients to the sauce,” Rivas said.
The new hires bring the force up to 146 patrol officers, down from 151 last year. Clifford hopes to hire five more officers as the city’s finances stabilize in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and once the results of the test that is being given on Sept. 18 are received.
Sign-ups for the test can be found on the city and county’s website; the application deadline is August 2.