Politics & Government
Peekskill Council Appoints Lieutenant to 2-Month Stint as Acting Police Chief
Peekskill police Lt. Eric Johansen will replace Chief Eugene Tumolo, who's retiring at the end of this year, as acting chief on Jan. 2.
Peekskill officials appointed Lt. Eric Johansen as the city's acting police chief for a two-month period, starting Jan. 2, during Thursday's Common Council meeting.
Mayor Mary Foster congratulated Johansen, but abstained from Thursday's vote.
"I know that it is only a 60 day appointment," Foster said. "There is a lot of work that we have talked about that needs to be done within the police department, starting with an internal review."
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Foster said the process of finding a permanent police chief will be lengthy and added that no one on the Common Council has had the opportunity to speak with the officer with the most seniority in the department about his interest in being chief of the police department.
Said Councilwoman Marybeth McGowan: "We're all looking forward to working through the process and supporting what our long-term goals will be for the police department."
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Capt. Paul Astrologo is currently the most senior member of the city's command staff, following Chief Eugene Tumolo. Tumolo is retiring at the end of this year.
The captain's position was slashed as money saving measure during this year's budget process, and Astrologo is slated to be re-assigned as a lieutenant next year.
Johansen is married with three children. His wife, Cathy, is currently a lieutenant in the police department, but took the early incentive retirement package offered by the city earlier this year.
He has served on the police department for about 19 years, joining the force in February 1994 after serving a stint as volunteer firefighter for the city. In 2007, he earned a masters in justice administration from Norwich University in Vermont.
Check back for more details on this story as they become available. A copy of the board's resolution appointing Johansen as acting chief is available in the PDF attached to this story.
Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that Johansen's appointment is probationary. That is not the case.
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