Mid Hudson Times Feb. 22 2017 | Page 4

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Mid Hudson Times , Wednesday , February 22 , 2017

Cameron to retire in March

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worked for the City of Newburgh Police Department for his entire 20-year career in law enforcement , was quickly appointed provisional and later acting police chief .

“ I wasn ’ t keen on being interim police chief ,” said Cameron , explaining the job of police chief is “ tough ,” requiring the full support of the city and department staff . “ But , that ’ s what the department needed at the time . I gave it my 100 percent .”

By all accounts , he was a popular police chief , praised by city and state officials , with broad support from city residents . Under his leadership , community policing efforts were expanded to include foot patrols and policecommunity relations were reinforced .

Program initiatives developed under Cameron include the Group Violence Intervention program , an uncooperative shooting victim pilot program and a partnership with Safe Homes of Orange County to address cases of domestic violence .

Grant funding also improved under his leadership ; a $ 460,000 Project Safe Neighborhood grant in 2015 was a federal grant awarded to just four police departments in the country that year . The city also saw a 13 percent reduction in violent crime in 2016 . Cameron admits , however , that “ one shooting is one too many .”

During his time as acting chief , there were also several fatal shootings of young adults . The shootings eventually led to improvements in street lighting and citywide surveillance technologies . The gun violence continues as Cameron steps into retirement .

A question of fairness

Cameron served as a lieutenant for two years prior to being appointed acting chief . Current city civil service rules state police-chief candidates are required to have at least five years of experience as a lieutenant or two years of experience as deputy police chief in order to take a test for promotion to chief .

However , there had been no deputy police chief position in the city for almost six years at the time Cameron became acting chief . ( The Newburgh City Council created a deputy police chief position in the fall , long after the civil service commission offered the first open exam for the position .)

Moreover , the commission ’ s promotional requirements are more stringent than in nearby cities such as Middletown , which only offers promotional tests for the position of police chief .

As the civil service rules stand , Lieutenant Carrion , a 22-year veteran of the police force , also does not qualify to take a promotional test for the position of police chief in the City of Newburgh .

“ I opted not to take the open test ,” said Cameron , who was forced to step down and resume the position of lieutenant in the fall . Cameron has long claimed the commission ’ s rules are unfair to candidates from within the department and maintains he acted on principle . “ I ’ m not going to jump over obstacles that don ’ t make sense .”

It is widely known that police make less money in the City of Newburgh than in nearby cities . “ It was never about the money ,” Cameron said on the subject .

Former Police Chief Dan Cameron retires next month .

“ The people who stay here are committed to making a difference . They are dedicated to the city .”

Of the handful of outside candidates who passed the open test for police chief last year , none accepted the job offer . The city remains in a state of limbo in terms of who will become the next police chief . Open exams for police chief and deputy police chief positions will take place on March 18 .

Cameron insists he is leaving the police department in capable hands . “ There are a lot of talented men and women in the City of Newburgh , more than capable of continuing our forward progress ,” he asserted .

He was quick to credit the entire department for the positive changes taking place in the last few years ; among them the expansion of community policing , increased transparency and improved police-community relations .

“ The things that have occurred in the department , I did not do alone ,” he said . “ We all did it together .”

In Brief NFA athletic director leaving

Jason Semo , athletic director at Newburgh Free Academy since 2014 , is leaving that post to take the same position at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua .

“ It ’ s not just one of the best schools in the state , but nationally renowned ,” said Semo , of Horace Greeley , “ a great professional opportunity for me .”

Though he is leaving at the end of the school year , Semo said he has enjoyed his tenure as athletic director at Newburgh Free Academy .

“ For me personally , very bittersweet just because of the work we have done here ,” he said . “ It ’ s been such a rewarding experience here .”

Semo graduated from Tri Valley High School in 1994 , where he played football , basketball and baseball . After graduating from Tri Valley , he headed before Arizona State University .

“ I was not an athlete there ,” he said “ I was just a student .”

- Bond Brungard

Guilty verdict in forged instrument case

Orange County District Attorney David M . Hoovler announced that on Tuesday , Kodjo Kondon , 30 , of Poughkeepsie , was convicted after a jury trial before Orange County Court Judge Craig Stephen Brown of two counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree and Resisting Arrest .

On July 18 , 2016 , Kondon attempted to obtain a loan at the Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union located in the Town of New Windsor . Kondon was attempting to obtain the loan in an assumed name using a forged South Carolina driver ’ s license . When the Town of New Windsor Police were summoned , Kondon struck a Town of New Windsor Police sergeant and fled . He was apprehended nearby and was found to also be in possession of a forged Illinois driver ’ s license in yet another false name . Kondon was convicted after a jury trial which commenced on February 14 , 2017 .

Kondon failed to appear in court on Friday . A warrant was issued for Kondon ’ s arrest . The District Attorney ’ s Office is requesting the public ’ s help in locating Kondon . Prior to failing to appear , Kondon had been warned by Judge Brown that if he failed to appear the jury trail would continue in his absence , and that the court could sentence him in his absence . Kondon faces up to seven to fourteen years in state prison when he is sentenced . Judge Brown scheduled the sentencing for April 4 , 2017 , and announced he is inclined to impose sentence even if Kondon is not present .

Hoovler thanked the Town of New Windsor Police Department for their assistance in the arrest and investigation of the case .

“ The jury ’ s verdict was clearly supported by the evidence ,” said Hoovler . “ This defendant should have complied with the lawful orders of the Town of New Windsor Police , rather than resisting arrest . “