New Paltz residents and activists packed into a recent Town Board meeting and did not hold back, accusing town leaders of tolerating a racial imbalance in how police misconduct and discipline are handled. Their frustration centered on a run of high‑profile incidents, including a 2018 arrest that led to federal litigation and a separate officer indictment last year, which critics argue expose inconsistent standards inside the department.
At the April session, speakers turned the heat up on newly seated Supervisor Tim Rogers and the rest of the board, arguing that lofty promises to fix the disciplinary system have stalled out in practice. As reported by Daily Freeman, community leaders including Esi Lewis and Albert Cook pressed officials to act on earlier reform recommendations and open up internal police proceedings to more public scrutiny. Lewis, a former Ulster County diversity official, now heads the Dr. Margaret Wade‑Lewis Black History Cultural Center.
A High‑Profile Case Looming Over Town Hall
Much of the anger is framed against the backdrop of the Paul Echols federal lawsuit, which stems from a September 2018 arrest. Echols contends he was struck while handcuffed and later needed surgery for a broken jaw. In a July 6, 2022 memorandum, U.S. District Judge Mae A. D'Agostino highlighted testimony that the officer acknowledged delivering “three or four [punches] in rapid succession,” according to Justia.
Critics also keep returning to a 2021 Police Reform and Reinvention committee report, which warned that the New Paltz police were not collecting race‑based data in a way that would allow the town to measure bias or track equity in enforcement. New York State recorded the committee’s finding that the lack of aggregated data was a built‑in barrier to accountability.
Discipline Fights Move Into The Open
Town Board members told residents they intend to stick to established procedures even as calls grow louder for quick, highly visible reforms. Rogers said he “will let actions speak louder than promises” and signaled that he expects to appoint civilian members to the police commission later this year, according to Daily Freeman.
The town also announced that a Section 75 civil‑service proceeding involving Sgt. Channon James will be held in open session, the sergeant’s attorney said, giving residents at least one disciplinary process they can actually watch unfold. Officer Jerome Milton, who was indicted in June 2025 on charges including official misconduct, offering a false instrument for filing, harassment and stalking, remains under both criminal and internal review. Hudson Valley One reported on Milton’s indictment and arraignment last year.
What Section 75 Actually Does
In New York, disciplinary hearings for covered public employees are controlled by Section 75 of the Civil Service Law. The statute guarantees written notice of charges, the right to representation, sworn testimony, and cross‑examination, and it authorizes penalties that can go as far as dismissal. It also calls for transcripts and determinations to be filed with the civil‑service commission. Whether the public gets a seat in the room often comes down to local practice and the specifics of the case. New York Public Law lays out the full text and procedural protections.
What Comes Next In New Paltz
The town’s calendar shows the Police Commission and Town Board met on April 9, 2026, a session where many of these concerns resurfaced and several speakers demanded a clear timetable for reform. Town of New Paltz and the New Paltz Police Department’s public pages carry agendas, minutes and monthly reports for residents trying to follow the fine print of the process, and advocates say they plan to keep coming back until they see concrete steps such as race‑data collection and firmer discipline timelines. The police page lists staff and contact information for anyone seeking more detail on pending matters, according to the Town of New Paltz Police Department.
For critics, the fight is about more than swapping out a few names on the organizational chart. It has become a test of whether the Town Board will move from reports and recommendations to measurable change. The upcoming Section 75 hearing and any civilian appointments by Supervisor Rogers are expected to serve as early indicators of whether accountability in New Paltz will shift in practice, not just in rhetoric.
