Veteran Officer Gets Chief Position 

Expected to focus on police reform and pedestrian safety issues in coming months

By Regina Clarkin

Peekskill police veteran Lt. Leo Dylewski will be the next chief of the department, following Don Halmy’s retirement this week. Dylewski, who was hired by Police Chief Eugene Tumolo as an officer in 2000, was promoted to lieutenant in 2017. Dylewski, 53, is the lone applicant for the job because of civil service regulations which state that vacancies be filled from within the department if a candidate has met the test requirements. Dylewski took the civil service test for chief some four years ago. 

A municipality can request Civil Service to offer a test for certain positions in the department such as chief, lieutenant, captain or sergeant.  Peekskill has not offered the test for chief for the past four years, thereby limiting the pool of available applicants. 

Dylewsi said one area he’s expecting to take action on is implementing recommendations from the Police Reform Task Force submitted to New York State on April 1 and will be trying to “move forward the Civilian Complaint Review Board.” He also made a presentation to the Common Council at their September 8th work session about pedestrian safety, especially at the corner of Nelson Avenue and Main Street where there have been multiple accidents. He recommends a speed bump safety system be used to slow down vehicles as they enter the intersection. He requested an expenditure of $3,461 to purchase a product to use at that intersection as a test. He described spending time at the intersection and noticing how drivers cut corners to avoid making a 90 degree turn. The traffic calming system he’s looking to install is “a very visual system that will draw attention to drivers.” The Common Council is expected to vote on his promotion at their September 27th meeting.