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Ossining Police Chief Kevin Sylvester announced his retirement from the department on Thursday, Dec. 7, which will become effective on Sunday, Dec. 31.
In his announcement on social media, Sylvester said that his time as chief had been an "awesome ride."
"Every chief likes to stand up and say that they’ve got the best department on earth, but the reality is, it’s right here in Ossining," Sylvester said, also adding that his department consists of a great group of people.
"It’s the special people and the personalities that come here that really truly believe in Ossining and making it happen," he said, continuing, "I am so proud to be a part of this organization."
In a statement, Ossining Mayor Rika Levin called Sylvester a "leader and an innovator" who brought "21st Century Policing" to the town.
"His emphasis on the use of social media, including the first Spanish-language police department Facebook page in the country, has made the department more accessible and has helped to humanize his officers by highlighting their hard work under often challenging circumstances," Levin said.
During Sylvester's tenure, the department also became one of three to work with Family Services of Westchester to extend their Mobile Crisis Response Team. This provided officers with training that taught them to support those experiencing mental health crises and connect them with needed follow-up services, according to Levin.
Additionally, Sylvester also emphasized community outreach and had the department partner with the village's school district to host after-school events, Levin said.
Sylvester, a Marine Corps veteran, comes from a family that has spent around 70 years dedicating themselves to Ossining. His grandfather was a fireman and his father was a past fire chief in the village, he said.
While serving with the department, Sylvester earned both his undergraduate and law degrees and is now a practicing attorney. He also currently serves as adjunct faculty at Pace University.
"The Mayor and Board of Trustees thank the Chief for his service to Ossining and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors," Levin wrote in her statement.
As for what's next, Sylvester said the village's Board of Trustees would begin the process of choosing the next chief.
"I am completely confident that the most appropriate leaders that you could possibly find are here and that the board will have quite a challenge ahead of them in picking great versus excellent," he said, adding, "This community remains in great hands for generations with lots of great leaders coming up through the ranks."
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