New Chief of Police Named in Saugerties

The Saugerties Police Department has welcomed a new interim police chief after the previous chief resigned.

After a few weeks of uncertainty, the Saugerties Police Department has officially named the department's newest interim chief of police, and it's a familiar name to law enforcement in Ulster County.

New Saugerties Police Chief

Lieutenant Kenneth Swart Jr. is a lifelong Saugerties resident who has been actively serving the Saugerties Police Department (SPD) for 24 years. Know as KJ to many, 44-year-old Swart Jr. started his law enforcement career as an SPD patrolman and continued to climb to the ranks to detective, followed by detective sergeant. He's been a lieutenant since 2015 and has now reached the rank of interim chief of his hometown police department as he was officially appointed to the position at a recent town board meeting according to the Daily Freeman.

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Swart Jr was appointed interim chief at a July 18th town board meeting by town Supervisor Fred Costello who said,

"He has an outstanding resume and has been a long-standing decorated member of the police department. He's very capable and he knows the entire staff well."

Appointing a new chief ends a few weeks of uncertainty for the department. It comes a few weeks after outgoing chief of police Robert Nuzzo announced he would be resigning from the position due to previously earned pension issues.

New Day, New Chief in Saugerties, New York

Swart Jr. will now be the fourth chief in Saugerties since 2023 following predecessors Nuzzo, who held the post since January 1st, 2024, and who replaced Lou Barbaria. Barbaria was named chief on July 26th, 2023 after replacing longtime Chief Joseph Sangria who retired in August of 2023 after being placed on administrative leave amid controversy over how he handled allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior by one of SPD's officers.

Will the Position Become Permanent for Swart Jr.?

Many residents are hopeful that Swart will be named the permanent chief soon. Still, according to Supervisor Costello, the search for a permanent chief can begin until the state Civil Service issues a list of three or more candidates.