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Beacon chief asks council to expedite two police hires ahead of academy
Summary
Police chief introduced two candidates and asked the council to authorize appointments at the next voting meeting so the new hires can attend a training academy in early February.
The Beacon Police Department asked the City Council at a workshop to expedite appointment procedures for two prospective officers so they can enter an upcoming police academy.
Police leadership introduced Derek Sherman, 21, and Ryan Cross, 31, as candidates who have progressed through background checks. The chief said Sherman’s hiring process is nearly complete; Cross has a few final background and medical steps remaining but the department expects both to clear requirements before the council’s next vote. The chief said an academy in Rockland County begins on the third of next month, and missing that enrollment would delay the hires by months.
City Administrator Chris White and City Attorney Christian Gates confirmed the council can place the appointments on the next voting meeting agenda and, if necessary, make any final approvals contingent on completion of outstanding checks. “If we get to the point next week where we don’t have something completed, we can make that contingent upon finalization,” the chief said.
Staffing context: Chief and administrators reported the department is short roughly eight sworn positions and expects another departure in the coming months; they said the city is promoting sign‑on and referral bonuses, posting openings on social media and reaching out to other agencies to encourage transfers. The chief also described recruitment supports such as physical fitness test prep run in partnership with the county sheriff’s office.
Training timeline: If the candidates are approved and enter the academy as planned, the chief said officers typically spend about four months in academy training followed by roughly three months of field‑training before they operate independently.
Next steps: The council did not vote on appointments at the workshop; formal votes are expected at the next regular meeting. Council members agreed staff should place the candidates on the forthcoming agenda with the option of contingent approval if remaining requirements are incomplete.
