June 1969: The Town Board established a Town Constable Force with approximately twelve constables, Donald Williams selected as the Chief Constable. Coverage was provided on Thursdays and Fridays from 6pm to midnight and on Saturday and Sundays from 8am to until midnight. The constables worked out of the Village of Fishkill Police Station on Main Street, as constables were also members of the Village of Fishkill Police Department.

Patrols used a Plymouth Fury, which was made into a police vehicle. Radio communications was done mainly with a citizen band radio and an old two-way radio connected to the Sheriff’s Department radio system. Phone calls were routed to the Sheriff’s Office who dispatched the town.

December 21, 1971: The Town of Fishkill Police Department was established.

January 1972: The Town of Fishkill became a first-class town and Donald Williams was later named the Police Department’s first Chief of Police.  At the time, there were approximately fifteen officers and two patrol vehicles. During this time period, patrols were extended to 6 pm until midnight Sunday through Thursday and 8 am until midnight Saturday and Sundays.

June 1974: Town Police moved from the Village Hall to 4 Wood Place, to the building abandoned by the Rombout Fire Company. Officers under direction of Sgt. John Penney and $1,000 in funding from the town board, proceeded to rehabilitate the fire station into a police facility with a communications room and several offices. Dispatching was done on a part-time basis with volunteers and cadets. When dispatchers were not on duty, phone calls were forwarded to the Sheriff’s Department.

Early 1980: The town increased the number of officers to approximately twenty-five and added an additional vehicle. This allowed for coverage of 18 hours per day, 7 days a week. Also, during this time period computerization was initiated with funding from seized drug money.

1991: With the opening of the new Town Hall on Rt. 52, the Town Police moved from Wood Place to the basement of this new facility. The first few months in the new station were disastrous with the flooding of the rooms each time it rained. During this time our computer system was upgraded to the ALECS System and additional computers were networked into all offices. Additional road patrols were also added.

February 2000: The town initiated 24/7 coverage in February 2000 and with the increased coverage hours, hired an additional five officers with the help of a Federal COPS Grant. This addition raised the number of officers to forty-one. Additionally, the number of police assistants was increased to four full-time and sixteen part-time.

Summer 2001: In the summer of 2001, Supervisor Pagones initiated the need for a new police facility and formed a committee of town board, town employees and police department members to begin formulating plans, selecting an architect, etc. As a result of many meetings, seminars, and visiting other facilities, plans were drawn, bids let, and construction started in January 2002.

March 2003: The building is near completion with the final connections of radios, computers, telephones and installation of furniture. The completion will mean that the state of the art facility and equipment will help to serve and protect the citizens of the Town of Fishkill… April 12, 2003 – Facility opened!

July 2014: Donald Williams retires after forty-three years as Town of Fishkill Chief of Police. In his resignation letter he writes, “I leave my post knowing that the residents of the Town of Fishkill are protected every day by the finest group of men and women any municipality could ever hope to have in its employ.”

On July 24 of this year, retired New York State Police Colonel, Thomas Fazio, is hired to run the Department in his role as Chief, effectively replacing former Chief, Donald Williams.

June 2017: Thomas Fazio retires as Chief of Police. James Schepperly, former New York State Police Lieutenant Colonel, appointed Town of Fishkill Police Administrative Lieutenant on February 6, 2014 is appointed Chief of Police, effectively replacing Thomas Fazio.