CROYDON — About 50 residents who turned out Tuesday night to listen to the Selectboard’s plans for police coverage seemed split on the board’s decision last week to dissolve the part-time, one-person department.
Several people at Tuesday’s Selectboard meeting made clear they opposed the board’s decision last week to dissolve the department — which resulted in ousted Police Chief Richard Lee, who had worked for the department for nearly 20 years, walking home in his underpants after he said the board directed him to turn in his uniform.
Resident Ed Spiker said he’s indifferent about Lee but was upset by the loss of a local police department, even though State Police now cover about 80% of calls in the town of less than 700 people.
“I am not anti-Chief Lee or pro-Chief Lee. I am pro-Croydon Police Department,” he said to loud applause.
A couple of residents were angered by statements from Selectboard member Ian Underwood, who asserted residents were confused by a past vote regarding police coverage. Residents voted last May, 151-51, to overturn an earlier Town Meeting vote to enter into a contract with Newport Police.
“The majority at that meeting (in May) said ‘no’ to Newport but not ‘yes’ to anything else,” Underwood said at the beginning of the meeting, contending many did not understand the vote.
Resident Dana Roberts accused Underwood of calling residents “stupid” and said voters understood that rejecting the Newport Police contract meant Croydon would keep its department.
“They voted 3 to 1; they wanted a department,” Roberts said. “We know what we voted on.”
Resident Kim McKinney asked why the board could not wait until Town Meeting in three weeks to bring the issue before voters.
“Why not have a warrant article?” McKinney asked. “I need to understand what was so dire that you needed to make this decision.”
Selectboard Chairman Russell Edwards said the friction between Lee and the board has gone on for years and became a “historical trend.”
“He worked against us,” Edwards said.
He told the audience that Lee would not provide reports or information when requested and the Selectboard decided to stop spending the $40,000 a year for Lee, including a salary of about $30,000.
Edwards’ comments and reasons for dissolving the department was met with about the same amount of applause as those who opposed 100% outside coverage.
The meeting began with a presentation by State Police and Sullivan County Attorney Marc Hathaway on transitioning police coverage, including pending investigations.
Hathaway said Sullivan County and all border towns have stepped up and pledged to provide Croydon with police coverage.
The Feb. 18 vote to dissolve the department made headlines after Lee — who was not in attendance Tuesday — departed in little more than his briefs and boots. He previously told the Valley News that following the vote, Edwards told him to turn over all police items including his badges, the keys to his police cruiser and his uniform “immediately,” and that as he was undressing, Edwards told him to turn in his uniform on a later day, but he declined.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
