Diane Pineiro-Zucker reports in the Daily Freeman that Ulster County Sheriff’s Office disciplinary records for 2019 and 2020 show 20 separate incidents ranging from harassment to insubordination by corrections officers, deputies, and other employees. “I think 20 in almost three years is a lot,” Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa said. “It shows that when people make complaints that we look at it. … These aren’t any egregious complaints but nonetheless they are complaints. … These things happen in every organization.” In one incident, former deputy Daniel Kopec allegedly used an agency-issued baton and firearm to threaten an unnamed guest at his home on Dec. 9, 2019, after drinking alcohol at a party he hosted. “He resigned because he probably was going to get fired,” Figueroa said. In 2020 Deputy Anthony Scarselli was investigated for another off-duty incident: allegedly harassing a neighbor and “overstepping his bounds,” Figueroa said. Scarselli was docked three vacation days for intimidating his neighbors who were setting off legal fireworks. On the clock, Deputy Brian Woltmann was found to have used “excessive force” while detaining a suspect, and deputies Michael Rizzo and John Maguire demonstrated “unprofessional behavior.” Rizzo was recorded on video saying, “Why don’t you take her over to Poughkeepsie and throw her off the [bridge]” and Maguire was recorded saying, “Drop her off on the side of the road for all I care.” Also, corrections officer Carel Soltys was accused of “unnecessary/excessive force and other potential policy violations” against an inmate. And Robin Anderson was found to have violated policy by allowing the inmate a phone call and not handcuffing him to a bed. Corrections Officer Jarrett Speenburgh was issued a warning for a pattern of “unprofessional/inappropriate comments.” There were other incidents. Figueroa said he uses “progressive discipline” to address most disciplinary problems. “If you violate one of the policies it gets documented, evaluated and trained, but if it happens again it gets more severe … if it happens another time you’re probably going to get terminated depending on the severity of the case,” he said. “… Training is key because you can refer to that when anything happens. Is that how you were trained to do it? No, it’s not. And looking at your record and what you did in the past now there’s a more heftier penalty, which could include termination.” Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.