To the Editor
Although I hold the utmost respect for our laws and the duties Town of Poughkeepsie police officers perform, I cannot say the same for the Town of Poughkeepsie Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association of which these officers are members.
This organization has lost sight of the purpose for which it was originally formed in 1958: “To function as a police officers’ association, and to take, over, carry on and continue the affairs, property, obligations and business of the unincorporated association known as Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association of the Town of Poughkeepsie, New York and to have the following purposes and objectives of such association, to wit: to continue and function as a benevolent police officers’ association and as such, to promote and develop a friendly and fraternal spirit among all police officers of the Town of Poughkeepsie and to extend both moral and material aid to all deserving police officers of the Town of Poughkeepsie.”
Police officers are required to apply the law equally to all, including themselves. Recent partisan actions of the PBA leave in doubt whether or not its officer members uphold the law equally in all cases.
This leads one to question whether or not police officers should seek or hold political office and whether or not a PBA should be involved in the political process in any way, shape or form.
Be careful how you donate since a search of campaign finance disclosures reveals in 2007 the PBA donated only to three Republican campaigns.
Virginia Buechele
Poughkeepsie