(Photo by Nancy Donskoj)
The Town of Ulster board will meet in special session Thursday, October 26 at 7 p.m. to vote on whether to release the contents of a police dashboard camera regarding a charge of speeding against county legislator Jennifer Schwartz Berky on May 24.
Berky, a Kingston Democrat, was stopped five months ago by town police on East Chester Street Bypass (Route 9W) near Aldi’s market in the early evening. She was charged with driving 43 mph in a 30-mph zone, according to authorities.
The dash cam depicts the 26-minute exchange between the officer and the driver. The state’s Freedom of Information Office has opined the contents of the police digital camera should be made public.
Representing Berky, Christopher Ragucci, an attorney with the Kingston firm of Mainetti, Mainetti and O’Connor, addressed the town board this Thursday night, October 20. He requested a postponement of action by the town board until November 20.
Berky, a Democrat, will be on the ballot for a second term on November 7.
You have the wrong date for the Special Meeting for the Foil Request regarding Legislator Berky’s traffic stop. The correct date is 10/24/17 at 7:00 pm
If she was disrespectful to the police it should be shown right we have the right to know how our officials behave to our law enforcement
Agreeing with Nicholas above. Especially if she’s up for a second term. If she got belligerent over a speeding ticket, it’s our right to know. Anybody else would not have the privilege of getting a lawyer to shut this down. I’m certainly interested in seeing what happened. That seems like a long exchange.
The release of the audio of this event has become a moot point for the purpose of an electoral judgement. It’s obvious. If I was stopped I would been arrested, etc for such conduct. She became above the law and should be treated at the polling place appropriately.
Once upon a time, I was a reporter/journalist. A woman very dear to me was a local elected official. She did something that was morally wrong and reflected on her performance in office.
She asked me if I had to write the story. I said yes. “But, she said, “We’re friends!” And I had to reply, “If you hadn’t done it, I couldn’t write about it.”
Something, Jennifer, you should have kept in mind BEFORE, not whined about AFTER.
Did you remain friends after?