Unfounded Claims of "Personal Privacy," Alive And Well at HPD

It's likely old news to most readers that the City of Hudson Police Department has a long history of corruption, abuse, and shenanigans dating back over a hundred years.

To cite a few recent examples:  In the early 1990's, Police Chief Dolan, aka "Fingers Dolan," got into serious legal trouble and was ousted.  Recently retired HPD Chief Ed Moore was brought in to steady the ship in 2103 after allegations of abuse and officer misconduct came to light at HPD under Moore's predecessor.  In late 2021 after just 9 months as HPD Commissioner, Peter Volkmann resigned amid a huge NY State investigation into larceny and misconduct on his part as Chatham's Police Chief.  He was found guilty but avoided jail time.  The corruption is all around us, and it is never easy to eradicate.

Last year I decided to do my best to get my hands on records of officer misconduct at HPD.  I didn't have high hopes of getting anywhere, even though a 2020 NY State law made police disciplinary records part of the public record.  Police departments are still notorious for keeping records of officer misconduct secret.  

My Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request for "all records of misconduct at HPD in the past 3 years" was rejected because, according to HPD, "redactions had to be made."  I then appealed that decision to the Hudson Mayor, as can be done, and this is the response I got:

The important part of the letter reads:  One of the grounds for denial authorizes the agency to withhold records to the extent that disclosure would constitute an "unwarranted invasion of personal privacy." 

Actually, the City of Hudson has no legal basis to deny anyone access to police disciplinary records.  It's all a silly, creepy game that HPD plays. (2 months after Kamal's letter to me denying access to HPD files, I got some documents from HPD.  Tracey Delaney, the city's FOIL Officer, sent the requested documents to me after having a "conversation with the New York State Department of State Committee on Open Government.")

About one year prior to that effort, I had an interesting and frightening interaction with HPD.  Around noon on a warm day while in the 7th Street Park, I noticed a HPD vehicle parked nearby on the street with an officer inside who seemed to be on the phone.  After nearly 45 minutes of the vehicle parked there, with the officer seemingly doing nothing, I took a picture of the vehicle and sent it to Ed Moore in an email.  I asked him if he could tell me what an officer would be doing in an HPD vehicle for so long while not at all looking at passing traffic.  Ed responded that the officer was on some sort of "traffic detail."

About an hour later there was loud knocking on the front door where I live.  Actually, it was closer to pounding.  I opened the door to see a female HPD officer, along with two other HPD officers on the sidewalk looking on.  The female officer was furious with me for taking pictures of her while she was parked on 7th Street, telling me that it was none of my business what she did in her vehicle.  (Chief Moore had obviously sent her a copy of my email.)

"Is that so, officer?" I responded. 

"Yes, you are infringing on my rights to privacy, and you need to stop it."

I thanked the officer for her lecture and bid her a good day.

I didn't know it at the time, but that female officer was Mishanda Franklin, Hudson's recently sworn in Chief of Police.

HPD prefers their own special and
controversial version of the American flag

On June 26th last year in the 7th Street Park, I took a picture of one of the park regulars urinating at the curb on Warren Street.   A few minutes later he punched me in the head twice.  Two female HPD officers responded after my call to HPD, one of them being Mishanda Franklin.  I told the officers what had happened, and that I wanted to file a complaint against my attacker.

"Why did he punch you?" Mishanda asked me. 

"Probably for taking his picture, but you will have to ask him," I responded.  "Does it matter?" I asked.

"Well, Mr. Huston, if you want to file a harassment charge against Mr. Madison, we will give him the opportunity to file harassment charges against you for taking his picture all the time," Mishanda told me.  

"Is that how it works, Officer?" I asked.  I wanted nothing more to do with her, so I left and filed my complaint later with someone else at HPD.

New York Police Disciplinary Records | democratandchronicle.com