T IMES
SOUTHERN
Vol. 14, No 28 3 JULY 12 - 18, 2017
ULSTER
Celebration
in Plattekill
3
ONE DOLLAR
Reptile weekend
Page 12
Page 16
SERVING HIGHLAND, MARLBOROUGH AND PLATTEKILL
Plattekill Chief reinstated after domestic violence probe
By MARK REYNOLDS
[email protected]
After a seven-month administrative
leave, Plattekill Police Chief Joseph Ryan
was recently reinstated by the Town
Board.
The board initiated the paid leave
after Ryan was arrested by the Town
of Newburgh Police due to a domestic
incident involving his daughter that
took place at his home on Nov. 22, 2016.
Chief Ryan had forcefully opened his
teenage daughter’s locked bedroom door
out of concern for her well-being. As he
pushed against the hollow core door it
actually broke. Ryan believes the police
were called to his home by his daughter’s
boyfriend who was on the phone with her
at the time.
In a recent interview, Ryan said Child
Protective Services conducted a thorough
six-month investigation, which backed
his claim that he was worried about the
safety of his child.
“They looked at all the evidence and
looked at everything and concluded it
[charge] was unfounded. They concluded
that I had the right to do what I did and
that I did not abuse my kids,” he said,
adding that the lead investigator confided
in him that if she was in his position she
would have done the exact same thing.
Ryan said an allegation was floated
at the time of the incident that he was in
a rage, a charge he vehemently denies.
After opening the door and the arrival of
the police Ryan said “I was sitting on the
couch talking to my kids. There was no
domestic incident. It was me discussing
with my kids the need to not lock doors.”
Ryan said the Town of Newburgh
Police “chose what they
wanted to hear from me.”
Ryan was formally
charged
with
Endangering the Welfare
of a Child and Criminal
Mischief because of the
broken door. A trial in
February resulted in
a mistrial because one
Ryan
juror out of six believed
Ryan was guilty and was
not willing to change her position. A
Continued on page 4
Fireworks display was worth the wait
People gather on the Walkway Over the Hudson on Independence Day to see their annual Fireworks show and got to see the burst of color that came after dark on July 4.
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