The Criminal Investigation Division consists of non-uniform investigative detectives whose responsibility includes the following:

• Major crime investigation
• Maintaining the department evidence system
• Crime scene management
• Sex offense related crimes
• Violent felony investigation Inner department investigations
• Sex Offender Management

The School Resource Officer (SRO) is also part of this division.

School resource officers (SROs) are police officers who are responsible for providing security and crime prevention services in the school environment.  SROs are employed by a local police agency and work closely with administrators in an effort to create a safer environment for both students and staff.  The responsibilities of SROs are similar to regular police officers in that they have the ability to make arrests, respond to calls for service, and document incidents that occur within their jurisdiction.  School resource officers typically have additional duties that include mentoring and conducting presentations on youth-related issues.

Crime tips are sent directly to this division and information is kept confidential.  The number is 845-246-4802.

The Police Communication Center is staffed by three full-time and four part-time communication specialists.  In addition to dispatching calls for service, the communication specialists are the initial point of contact at our 24-hour service window.  They are also responsible for the majority of our data entry, receiving and directing administrative telephone calls.  Saugerties Police Dispatchers are also the primary after hours answering point for all other departments in the Town and Village of Saugerties.  [UPDATED STATISTICS FOR 2023 AVAILABLE?  WE CAN PLUG THEM IN REAL QUICK.] In 2020 the Saugerties Police Communication Center received 40,935 in-coming phone calls, of which 16,491 were Emergency calls requiring police response. Saugerties police officers responded to 2,834 calls dispatched through the Ulster County 911 center.  In 2020 Saugerties Police responded to a total of 5,646 calls for service in the Village of Saugerties and 10,845 calls for service in the Town of Saugerties. Police officers also responded 463 times for intrusion alarms at 201 different locations throughout the Town and Village. 

The Communications Division consists of Police Communications Officers, more commonly known to the public as dispatchers, who are the primary answering point for all emergency and non-emergency requests for police.  Like the Patrol Division, the Communications Division operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Their duties include:

• Answering incoming calls to the police by way of internal telephone
• Collecting pertinent information from callers and disseminating that information to responding units or agencies
• Determining the priority level of requests for services and mitigating those calls that can be handled without a need for committing department resources to a response
• Operating the radio systems for the police support channels
• Monitoring and dispatching related to all police and fire alarm activations
• Maintaining the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) records of all responses and services provided by the police
• Processing all paperwork, data entry and alert notifications for all missing persons, stolen vehicles, arrested individuals, etc.
• Keeping Administration informed 24 hours a day of noteworthy incidents and emergencies
• Monitoring jail cell occupants (via closed circuit television and physical cell checks) to guard against illness or injury
• Greeting and providing services to visitors to the police station’s lobby
• Receiving initial calls for services and determine nature, location and severity of emergency or services required
• Obtaining pertinent caller/witness information for current or future investigation of the incident
• Obtaining suspect/crime information, entering into CAD and providing the information to responding units
• Dispatching appropriate resources to the incident ensuring adequate manpower on-scene as well as to maintain sufficient remaining coverage town-wide
• Maintaining constant contact with persons reporting crimes in progress keeping them calm and relaying that information in a real-time manner to responding officers
• Broadcasting (and receiving broadcasts) to/from surrounding communities via mutual aid police radio systems regarding crimes occurring in and around town
• Maintaining radio contact with officers on-scene, to keep the police officer-in-charge informed
• Notifying additional resources (Detectives, Crime Scene Investigators, Accident Reconstruction, Medical Examiner, Tactical Teams, Administration Staff, etc.) and maintain an accurate information flow with them
• Providing an effective link to outside support agencies (Fire, Water, Light, Highway, Tow Companies, etc.)
• Interacting with Registry Of Motor Vehicles, Criminal History, National Crime Information Center databases via computer with incident related queries
• Testifying in criminal court as to the authenticity of archived recordings and with regards to actions taken during the call taking/dispatching evolution
• Supporting all police department divisions (Detective, Traffic, etc.) with data entry/gathering and other services as needed.

Both the Saugerties PD and the community benefit from the specialized service that the K9 unit affords in the field of law enforcement.  Examples of the activities/benefits:

• Discovering illicit drugs, explosives, chemicals and other illegal substances
• Finding and rescuing individuals that are missing or have been kidnapped
• Tracking and apprehending fugitives fleeing from the law
• Discovering cadavers that have been buried or left in the wilderness
• Locating evidence from crime scenes
• Inspecting vehicles
• Deterring criminals who might otherwise confront or assault a police officer
• Identifying people who have been carrying or have been in contact with illegal drugs and controlled substances

History

Back in July 2014, then-Officer Jeremy Rushkoski began working with K-9 Miky and served with him on the police force starting in December 2014.  Miky was then a 5-year-old German shepherd and Saugerties police dog.  After serving well, Miky died in July 2021, after a brief illness.  (Click here for a Daily Freeman article about Miky and Ernie, a therapy dog for the Saugerties school children.)

Another K9 team in Saugerties was the team of Sergeant Michael Craft and K-9 Sara. 

K-9 Romulus and Officer Jennifer Culver (pictured in the section above) -- are a third evolution of the Saugerties PD K9 unit.  And the other K9 team is K-9 Max and his handler, Sergeant Jeremy Rushkoski (shown in the image on the right).  Max is a dual-purpose dog.  He's trained in explosive detection and also handles patrol assignments.

Max, along with all the equipment necessary was procured through a grant from New York State Department of Homeland Security.

The Patrol Division is the largest and most visible portion of the Department providing 24-hour protection, 365 days a year.  The Patrol Division consists of the uniform officers, driving marked squad cars, who are the first to respond to citizen's calls for service.  The patrol division's duties include: enforcing traffic laws, investigating traffic accidents, reports of criminal activity, public disturbances, juvenile troubles, all types of alarms, as well as other requests for assistance to maintain peace and order in the community.  Patrol officers prepare written reports of their observations to be used for documentation, criminal or municipal charges, or for follow-up by the Detective Division.

Following are descriptions of Patrol Division duties.  Any one patrol officer may not handle all the duties listed, nor does the list of duties cover all of the duties that may be performed in the course of a typical day.

• Patrolling the area to protect people's lives and property.
• Regulating traffic.
• Responding to accidents or stranded motorists.
• Identifying and arresting people accused of violations, including assault, burglary, larceny, and carjacking.
• Enforcing motor vehicle laws.
• Testifying in court.
• Bagging and presenting evidence.
• Responding to distress calls or calls for assistance.
• Investigating reports of suspicious activity.
• Interviewing witnesses and suspects.
• Calling for backup if needed.
• Pursuing fleeing suspects on foot.
• Searching vehicles for drugs or paraphernalia.
• Investigating traffic accidents to determine cause of accident.
• Providing road assistance to motorists and give directions if necessary.
• Assisting transients with relocation and shelter information.
• Booking and processing prisoners.
• Writing records of arrests and reasons for arrest.
• Rerouting traffic in case of accidents or emergencies.
• Escorting citizens during funeral processions.
• Issuing citations or warnings to people who violate motor vehicle laws.
• Checking for proper identification and verifying licenses and registration during traffic stops.

The Town of Saugerties Police Department is an accredited law enforcement agency in New York State.  Our agency meets or exceeds general expectations of quality in the field. The program has four principal goals:

1. To increase the effectiveness and efficiency of law enforcement agencies utilizing existing personnel, equipment and facilities to the extent possible;
2. To promote increased cooperation and coordination among law enforcement agencies and other agencies of the criminal justice system;
3. To ensure the appropriate training of law enforcement personnel;
4. To promote public confidence in law enforcement.

In essence, accreditation acknowledges the implementation of policies that are conceptually sound and operationally effective.  The cornerstone of the Accreditation Program lies in established standards that contain a clear statement of professional requirements.  Agencies participating in the Program conduct a thorough analysis of their organization to determine how existing operations can be adapted to meet established standards.  When an agency adopts policies and procedures that meet the standards, a team of independent professionals conducts an on-site assessment to verify that all applicable standards have been successfully implemented.  This process culminates with a decision by the NYS Law Enforcement Accreditation Council that the agency is worthy of accreditation.

The Accreditation Council provides overall direction and consists of 17 members appointed by the Governor.  The Council meets quarterly and issues standards, sets policy and has exclusive authority to grant accreditation status.  Members include representatives from the state chiefs' and sheriffs' associations, the Superintendent of State Police, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department, an official of a statewide police labor organization, an incumbent police officer, a deputy sheriff and a college professor of criminal justice.  Other members represent the Association of Counties, the Association of Towns, the Conference of Mayors, the New York State Senate, and the Assembly.

The New York State Law Enforcement Accreditation Program enables administrators to strengthen existing procedures while simultaneously creating a solid foundation for the agency's future. The benefits of accreditation include:

• Independent confirmation that policies comply with professional standards Assurance of fair recruitment, selection and promotion processes
• Diminished vulnerability to civil law suits and costly settlements
• Enhanced understanding by agency personnel of agency policies and procedures
• Greater administrative and operational effectiveness
• Greater public confidence in the agency

In the final analysis, the impact of the Accreditation Program stems from the profound commitment that New York law enforcement executives have made to professionalism and from their desire to provide the best possible services to the communities that they serve.

The Saugerties Police Department (SPD) recognizes that more than 70% of the abused prescription medications are obtained from friends or relatives.  

That is why SPD has placed a permanent “Prescription Medication Drop Box” at the police department Headquarters, located in the main lobby at 4 High Street in the Village of Saugerties.

The drop box can be used by any citizen in our community, to safely dispose of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  Just enter Town Hall through the Police Department/Court entrance, and within a few steps, on the right, is this prescription medicines dropbox, in amongst the vending machines.

What can be accepted: Prescriptions and over the counter medications, vitamins, pet medications, ointments and lotions, and liquid medicines in plastic bottles.

What can’t be accepted: Needles, thermometers, blood, infectious or hazardous waste, inhalers, hydrogen peroxide or any medication in glass containers.

Address for the warming/cooling centers - 4 High Street (click for map).

Warming Center

As frigid temperatures inevitably set into Ulster County each winter, Town of Saugerties Supervisor Fred Costello has arranged with the Police Department, to have Saugerties Town Hall available 24 hours a day for anyone needing a place to stay warm.

Anyone wishing to use the Town Hall can do so by entering through the front lobby by police headquarters. (See map of Town Hall for further information.)  In the event we experience any wide outages related to weather events, the Frank Greco Senior Center on Market Street in the Village of Saugerties will be opened to accommodate larger numbers of individuals.  Anyone needing transportation to either warming center can contact the Saugerties Police at 845-246-9800 for transportation.

Cooling Center

Similarly, as hot temperatures arrive each summer, the Police Department arranges to have Saugerties Town Hall available 24 hours a day for anyone needing a place to stay warm.

Anyone wishing to use the Town Hall can do so by entering through the front lobby by police headquarters. (See map of Town Hall for further information.)  In the event we experience any wide outages related to weather events, the Frank Greco Senior Center on Market Street in the Village of Saugerties will be opened to accommodate larger numbers of individuals.  Anyone needing transportation to either warming center can contact the Saugerties Police at 845-246-9800 for transportation.