City of Beacon Police Respond With Detail Of New May 25th Incident Involving Mentally Ill Man In Question

RELATED LINKS:

• MTA Responds With Details Of Tasering Of Mentally Ill Man on May 19th, On Main Street In Beacon (5/25/2021)

• Coverage Of The Gathering To Speak Against Force Used By MTA Police In Beacon (5/26/2021)

• Gathering & March Tuesday Against MTA Police Tasering Mentally Ill Man On Main Street During Mental Health Month (5/25/2021)

• Mentally Ill Man Tasered On Beacon's Main Street on May 19th; Allegedly Pursued By MTA Police From Train Station (5/25/2021)

PLEASE NOTE: this article series is discussing 2 different incidents of a man who has been in Beacon for some time, harassing people, which has escalated after he was Tasered on Main Street by MTA Police on May 19, 2021. Later, he was Tasered again on May 25, 2021 by a New York State Trooper. This response from the City of Beacon Police deals with the May 25th incident. It does not address the May 19th incident because the City of Beacon Police Department was not involved.

During the research for the story on the man who was Tasered by MTA Police on Main Street on May 19, 2021, in response to an alleged complaint of threats, ALBB learned that a new incident occurred on Main Street on May 25, 2021 that involved City of Beacon Police and New York State Police. On that day, we reached out to the City of Beacon Police for confirmation and any detail they could provide.

Today, Lt. Figlia from the City of Beacon Police responded to ALBB with detail from the City of Beacon Police. The detail is provided in full below:

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The following message has been written by Lt. Figlia of the Beacon Police:

We believe that the nature of this incident is, at least to some extent, related to the mental health of an individual. In order to protect that individual’s privacy, we will not be releasing any identifying information about the individual, nor will we comment on any incidents that did not involve City of Beacon Police Department members. However, the matter you are inquiring about is of considerable public concern, so we want to provide the public with as much information as we can responsibly share.

On 5/25/21 at approximately 10:48 AM the Beacon Police Department received a call for male, who was identified by name, inside of a business on Main St. screaming, “fuck you bitch” at a female employee and refusing to leave. When officers were dispatched to the call, MTA PD advised BPD over the radio that they had an active warrant for individual. BPD officers then located him on Main St. and took him into custody without incident. He was then transported directly to MTA PD’s Beacon HQ where he was turned over to them. Any questions about the nature of the warrant should be directed to the MTA PD.

At approximately 1:25 PM the same day the Beacon Police Department received three separate calls about the same individual on Main St. yelling at people and being involved in an altercation. BPD officers responded and approached the individual, who was now in need of psychiatric evaluation at a hospital under New York State Mental Hygiene Law, as it had become apparent from his actions that he was presenting a danger to himself and others. As officers approached, the individual fled on foot before they could speak to him. BPD officers pursued him with the intent of taking him into custody for transport to MidHudson Regional Hospital. During that time a passing New York State Trooper observed this and self-initiated joining the pursuit. The trooper utilized a taser on the individual. BPD officers then took the individual into custody without further incident and transported him to MidHudson Regional Hospital for psychiatric treatment. As of approximately 12:30 PM on 5/26/21 the individual was observed to be out of MidHudson Regional and back in Beacon. Any questions about the use of force and the taser should be directed to the New York State Police.

On 5/26/21 someone came into BPD HQ to file charges against the same individual for allegedly threatening to kill them. This year, from 2/28/21 to 5/26/21 the Beacon Police Department has had 42 contacts with the individual in question. Of these contacts, 36 have been due to calls from the public. They have primarily been for threatening or harassing behavior, walking in front of vehicles and very aggressive panhandling. The individual in question has been approached by our co-housed Mental Health America of Dutchess County Behavioral Health Specialist on numerous occasions and has continuously refused many attempts at assistance and services.

City Of Beacon To Publish Police Blotter Online To Increase Transparency And Address Governor Cuomo's Policing Review Executive Order

In their first joint announcement since Beacon’s former Police Chief Kevin Junjulas retired and Acting Chief of Police William Cornett was appointed last week, the City of Beacon announced Monday evening that “the Beacon Police Department will begin publishing online its daily police blotter, as part of a broader process of increasing policing transparency,” according to their press release.

Normally found printed in the Beacon Free Press and the Highlands Current, the police blotter is often a source for newspapers to be picked up so that citizens can get a read on what kind of activity is going on around them. Police calls can include a noise disturbance, or a person being picked up for a warrant out for their arrest for any reason - like an overly expired license - during a routine traffic stop. Normally in the newspapers, only a select handful of these calls are published.

According to the press release, this move has been made in response to what the public asked for during the first public forum on policing held in mid-June after the first protest in Beacon. “The police blotter constitutes the basic raw data for activity statistics and other data,” says the city. On a subsequent City Council Workshop meeting on 6/29/2020, where three representatives from the Police Department (then Chief Junjulas, then Captain Fredericks and current Lieutenant Figlia) the department was asked by the Mayor to provide data as to the types of calls. The City Council was then able to get an idea about the types of police calls that are made 24/7, as well as the strategy that goes into categorizing them. Now, the public will get faster and more comprehensive access to the types of calls as well.

Mayor Kyriacou stated in the press release, “This is a first step of making policing information readily available, to both inform the public, and to increase transparency and build trust. This follows the socially-distanced public forum the City recently organized, attended virtually by 200 listeners and viewers. We are also beginning to organize a comprehensive policing review and plan process, consistent with the Governor’s Executive Order on the topic.”

Acting Chief of Police William Cornett added, “Transparency is a top priority for the Beacon Police Department. The public is welcome to visit our website anytime to view the daily blotter. We are working on and will be making more information available to our residents.”

The daily blotter will be available at www.cityofbeacon.org on the Beacon Police Department page.

Beacon Police Chief, Lieutenant, and Captain Participate In City Council Meeting To Answer Questions About Policy - But Avoids Racism

After receiving inquiries from the public about police policy, the City of Beacon’s City Council hosted the Beacon Police Department during their weekly Monday night City Council Meeting this week. The meeting happened to be a Workshop, which means that by rule, members of the public cannot speak or submit comments, as they can during the other type of City Council Meeting, which is when members of the public can speak within one of two Public Comment sessions.

Attending and participating were Chief Kevin Junjulas, Lieutenant Figlia and Captain Fredericks. The video of the meeting has been published here in this article. Scroll down and press Play.

Brief Recap Of The Presentation

Mayor Kyriacou started the meeting by reminding the council and video viewers about the Department of Justice’s investigation into the Beacon Police Department that started at least in 2010, and concluded in the summer of 2016. The City’s attorney recalled that the Beacon Police Department went through an audit of the department, and a review of policy. It was not stated if there were personnel changes after the audit, or what was learned from the audit.

The Chief read a statement about training the police department receives, and acknowledged that he was open to “perhaps identify some things that we can seek to improve in the future, to offer the best level of service possible.”

Speaking To #8Can’tWait - Which Does Not Address Systemic Racism

Mayor Kyriacou asked the officers to go speak to their methods as they compare to “8 Can’t Wait,” which is a campaign from Campaign Zero to reduce police violence. However, that campaign does not address systemic racism, and focuses on physical actions of law enforcement. Additionally, Campaign Zero issued a statement and apology, which they published on their “8 Can’t Wait” website: “And while we are proud of the impact we were able to make, we at Campaign Zero acknowledge that, even with the best of intentions, the #8CANTWAIT campaign unintentionally detracted from efforts of fellow organizers invested in paradigmatic shifts that are newly possible in this moment. For this we apologize wholeheartedly, and without reservation.”

Racism was not discussed in this meeting. Some nitty-gritty types of violence were, like that a choke hold is not “banned” because it may be needed if nothing else is available, or that pointing a weapon is considered a “use of force.”

Complaints Against An Officer

The Council wanted to know about how complaints come in. The Chief answered that for 2019, of the 13,000 calls made for service, 5 personnel complaints came in. In 2020, so far 4,000 calls for service have come in, and 3 personnel complaints have been generated.

When asked about how to complain, the Chief answered that during the federal investigation, the Department of Justice required that the Beacon Police make a complaint system available. The Chief said: “People can do it through a number of ways….I don’t have them right in front of me, but they are on the website I believe.”

One complaint link is on the City’s website in the Police Department section, which is here. The form to file a complaint is here. However, there are no directions on the form or the website as to how to file the form. There also does not seem to be a list of police officer’s names on the website. During the meeting, it was stated the complaint makes its way to the Captain who conducts an investigation. The Captain conducts an interview with the officer and the person who made the complaint. The Captain then makes a decision as to if the complaint is Unfounded or not.

Requirement Of 60 College Credits

One item that the Captain wanted changed was to open up the qualifications to be a police officer in Dutchess County, which currently requires 60 college credits. This is not the same for every county. The Captain did not feel that attending college “in an un-related police subject” was useful to hiring a police officer. He also doesn’t think it fair to kids who can’t afford to go to college. On another hand, sometimes employers pay for an employee’s continuing education while they are working, like in the Army or in the corporate world.

Diversity In The Police Department

When asked about how many white officers were in the Beacon Police Department, the Captain did not know how many “off the top of my head, I’d have to go out there and count.” The Chief responded that out of 36 officers, he thinks that 5 officers are Hispanic, 2 Black and 2 Female White officers. The female officers, he said, are white, so they would “need to subtract from that.”

In Conclusion: Community

The meeting concluded with Councilperson Amber Grant suggesting that more issues be raised and that the conversation continue about the community relationship with the Police Department. Councilperson Terry Nelson suggested conducing community forums. Councilperson Jodi Grant recalled the “Coffee and a Cop” concept, and liked that.

Dan Aymar-Blair noted that he heard “powerful and painful” stories at the protest last Saturday, and had 50 and 60 emails about policing in Beacon, with very few having to do with #8CantWait. He mentioned that “training wasn’t the problem with George Floyd’s or Eric Garner’s murders.” He wished to garner the conversation from the 3rd protest in Beacon last Saturday.

A discussion continued about how a community forum could be put together. The Mayor suggested that Beacon’s Human Relations Commission “be leveraged’ to do this, and serve as an anonymous destination to talk. Dan disagreed, saying that there were 1,000 people at the protest, and that he wanted the City Council to take the lead on it. Jodi recalled her time serving on the Human Relations Commission, and said that the commission had been unprepared to handle the scope of what was required when it was handed something the first time. From the meeting, it was unclear which instance in time she was referring to. A Little Beacon Blog can follow up.

A community forum did get put together towards the end of the Department of Justice investigation of Beacon’s Police Department in 2015/2016, which you can read about in depth here.