City police board plans online speakout

The city Board of Police Commissioners will hold a virtual public meeting next week to address concerns regarding Kingston’s current law-enforcement partnerships.

The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9. Members of the public will be able to participate via the GoToMeeting platform (bit.ly/2Z2X5vW) or by calling (877) 309-2073 or (646) 749-3129. The access code for joining by phone is 578080-997.

A press release from the city said the police commission has been closely monitoring the effectiveness of the Kingston Police Department’s partnership with outside law-enforcement agencies while also hearing the community’s concerns about experiences with the increased policing in their neighborhoods.

The purpose of the Sept. 9 meeting will be to discuss these interactions and ensure there is a proper balance between law-enforcement initiatives and the rights of citizens, the release said.

At a virtual meeting last month, Kingston Police Chief Egidio Tinti told commissioners his department had been working since Aug. 6 with members of the state police, Ulster County Sheriff’s Office and Ulster County District Attorney’s Office on an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime in the city.

He said there was a large police presence as part of that initiative, with up to 12 additional officers patrolling on some nights.

The partnership was created in response to a rash of gun violence in the city in recent months, including four fatal shootings between October 2019 and July 2020. Only one of those has resulted in an arrest.

There also have been numerous incidents of shots being fired and no one being struck. In early July, though, two teens suffered leg wounds in a shooting at the Birchwood Village apartment complex.

“The Kingston Police Commission would like the community to know that we are here, we are listening, and we invite you to reach out to us to share your concerns,” the commission said in a prepared statement. “We want to make sure that members of the community have the opportunity to voice their experiences either publicly, privately, or anonymously. We take these concerns seriously.”

Community members are encouraged to provide input prior to the public meeting next week, the press release said. An official compliment/complaint form is available online at kingston-ny.gov/policecommission, or commission members can be contacted directly with the time and date of the interaction being reported. Contact information is to be posted on the city’s website, as well.

The commissioners and their contact information are as follows: Mayor Steve Noble, (845) 334-3902; Rev. Kendra VanHouten, (845) 338-7722; Minya DeJohnette, (845) 481-0793; Brad Jordan, (845) 590-3040; and Shaniqua Bowden, bowdenshaniqua@gmail.com.

Comments or complaints also can be made to Tinti at (845) 943-5766 or Ulster County Human Rights Commissioner Tyrone Wilson at (845) 334-5492.