Proposed law could change hiring practices at Schenectady County Sheriff’s Department, other agencies | The Daily Gazette
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A newly proposed piece of legislation in the state Senate could bar law enforcement agencies from hiring officers who’ve left or were fired from previous agencies.
The legislation, released May 3, came just days after the Schenectady County Sheriff Dominic Dagostino fired his stepson Daniel Coppola following a driving while intoxicated arrest in Colonie on April 26.
A Manhattan Democrat, State Sen. Brian Benjamin originated the proposal: “I believe police officers should be held to a higher standard because the nature of their power is so great,” he said.
Link between sheriff, troubled officer had tragic start | The Daily Gazette
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He was terminated by the man who helped convict his birth father’s killer decades ago.
Coppola, a former officer with the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Department, was accused by Colonie police of driving under the influence of alcohol on April 26.
On May 3, the lawyer for the 26-year-old Coppola of Rotterdam pleaded not guilty on Coppola’s behalf in Colonie Town Court.
Authorities allege Coppola drove on a curb and nearly hit a utility pole with his car while more than twice the legal limit for drunkenness. His blood alcohol content was .2% well over the legal limit in New York state of .08%. He told police he was driving home after he had consumed a couple of beers at a bar in Albany.
Juansilvaphoto.com
As it became clear that many workplaces – essential and less so – would remain open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, ALIGN became a key player in a coalition of 70 unions, workers’ centers and nonprofits that have pushed the NY HERO Act. The bill sets enforceable workplace standards for testing, PPE, social distancing, hygiene and more. Maritza Silva-Farrell has led ALIGN, an alliance of labor and community organizations, since 2016.
52. Charlene Obernauer
Executive Director, New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health
NYCOSH, the watchdog nonprofit that Charlene Obernauer leads, is well known for its annual report on construction deaths in New York state. The latest report on calendar year 2019 found that while construction-related deaths dipped slightly across the state, they rose 10% over the previous year within the five boroughs. In her role, Obernauer has advocated for better COVID-19 protection at New York work sites and also conducts tr