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.

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.”