The College announced the establishment of a University Police Department (UPD) Advisory Committee in spring 2021.
The charge and purpose of our UPD Advisory Committee parallel similar committees on several SUNY campuses, most established recently. Such groups are considered a best practice in university community policing.
Erin (Corbett) Beale ’05 (Finance)
Retired Sergeant, Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department
Tyrell Connor
Co-Chair,
Assistant Professor, Sociology, Director of Criminology concentration
Calvin Hodnett ’90 (Sociology)
Co-Chair,
Senior Management Analyst with the U.S. Department of Justice
Anna Gjika
Assistant Professor, Sociology
Xaviana Blunt '24
Student Association representative, Black Studies
Abbigail Selnick, ’24
RHSA Representative, International Relations and Communication Studies
Edward Lawson
J.D., MBA, Adjunct Faculty in Black Studies, community leader in Newburgh
The University Police Department Advisory Committee charge:
- To advise and make recommendations to the Vice President of Student Affairs and the Chief of Police concerning police services in regards to the campus community.
- To identify and support continued opportunities and actions for UPD to fulfill its inclusivity and antiracist commitments.
- To advance transparency and accountability of UPD operations and functioning.
- To serve as a two-way liaison between UPD and the campus community, including helping the campus community understand legitimate and beneficial work of UPD.
- To review and analyze data on UPD actions and on UPD’s responses to designated incidents to ensure that UPD is following departmental and accrediting-body policies and practices.
- To solicit public input regarding police services, public perceptions of UPD, programs, and campus safety, through periodic town hall meetings or other venues in order to make recommendations concerning UPD policies, services and programs.
- To prepare an annual public report summarizing the committee’s activities and overall performance of UPD.
- To support and advise on renewal of accreditation.
While independent of UPD, the committee does not supersede existing policies, procedures and bargaining agreements for UPD employees
The Committee will function independent of UPD. The committee’s responsibilities do not supersede or replace UPD’s own internal review and discipline procedures and cannot affect the established practices and responsibilities of the Office of Human Resources, Diversity and Inclusion regarding labor-management practices and collective bargaining agreements. The committee has no authority to impose disciplinary action on UPD officers.
Committee composition, appointment process and reporting structure
The Committee will include 8-10 members, including students, faculty and staff, alumni, and others representing a cross-section of our campus community. Student members will include one representative each from the Student Association and the Residence Hall Student Association. Members will be appointed by the president, and the president, in consultation with the committee, will select a chair to serve a two-year term. Non-student member terms will be three years with potential renewal; when possible, student member terms will be multi-year to enhance continuity. A mechanism will be announced for self-nomination and nomination by others interested in serving on the committee once inaugural members step down at the end of their terms. The UPD Chief will be a member of the committee but will not serve as chair. The committee will report to the Vice President for Student Affairs.
Meeting Frequency
As the Committee is being established, it will meet monthly for several months, later meeting quarterly or bi-monthly or more frequently if need arises.
