OUR HISTORY

      Sgt. Sean McCarthy and Sgt. John Zeltmann from the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department were both members of the Police Emerald Society of Westchester and they decided to attempt to establish a Police Emerald Society in the Hudson Valley. They began by speaking to PO Mike Bello from ENCON Police. Mike was the Band Manager of the Hudson Valley Regional Police Pipes and Drums. About a year earlier Sean, John and Mike met under unfortunate circumstances when Sean and John were planning the funeral of Detective John Falcone, a City of Poughkeepsie Police Officer who was killed in the line of Duty. The Hudson Valley Regional Police Pipes and Drums marched in the procession at the funeral. After speaking to Mike he quickly advised Sean and John that the members of the band that he had spoken to about the formation of an Emerald Society were highly enthusiastic. Sean and John drafted an interest letter which they faxed out to every police department in the counties of Dutchess, Orange and Ulster Counties. The feedback was tremendous in those counties but they also received a call from Sgt. Tim Gannon from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, he advised the pair that word had spread to Putnam County about this possible new organization and he asked for Putnam to be included so the interest letters were sent out to all of the departments in Putnam County as well. Based on the feedback it was decided that enough interest was out there to start the Police Emerald Society of the Hudson Valley. Sean and John received help from several people throughout the process of creating this organization including but not limited to Tim Gannon (PCSO), Shawn McDermott (Kingston PD), Phil Fagen (V/Harriman PD), Kyle Mahoney (V/Monroe PD) and Collin Hanlon (FDNY). These men along with Sean and John would be the founding members of PESHV. The society was incorporated in September of 2012 with the help of Paul Ackermann Esq.

      The first Board of Directors meeting was held on September 10th 2012 at Union Square in Poughkeepsie. At this meeting, among other business, the by-laws which were penned by Sean McCarthy and checked over by John Zeltmann and Paul Ackermann Esq., were ratified and the a the temporary Board of Directors were voted into office. Sean McCarthy, President; John Zeltmann, First Vice President (Dutchess County); Phil Fagen, Orange County Vice President; Shawn McDermott, Ulster County Vice President; Tim Gannon, Putnam County Vice President; Kyle Mahoney, Treasurer and Collin Hanlon, Recording Secretary. This meeting was followed immediately by the first delegates meeting consisting of one or two representatives from each department containing future members. 

      Our first General Meeting was on November 13th 2012 at Mary Kelly’s in Beacon. Entertainment was provided by the Hudson Valley Regional Police Pipes and Drums. As we are such a fledgling organization our history is still being written and we hope it will be written for many, many years to come.