With nearly a quarter-century's worth of experience behind him, Sergeant and Investigator Richard Bialkowski is now acting chief at the Cobleskill Police Department.
Chief Bialkowski, 43, takes over from retired Chief Larry Travis after a dozen years with the CPD.
Prior to that, the Cobleskill Central School graduate worked for the Schoharie County Sheriff's Office for eight years, and before that, in West Virginia for two years after graduating from the West Virginia State Police Academy.
"It's a nice variety of experience in both urban and rural settings," Chief Bialkowski said.
"I've worked for three chiefs and two sheriffs and seen some different management styles. Hopefully, I can take the best from all three. We have a good department here and I'm excited by the challenge."
As acting chief, Chief Bialkowski's duties will include day-to-day administration and reports, budgeting, and supervising the department, which with the departure of Chief Travis, along with that of Patrolman Jeff Egnor, who's taken a job with the Guilderland Police Department, and a post that's been vacant since January, is three officers short.
"One of my immediate goals will be getting the department back up to full strength," Chief Bialkowski said. Then he'll focus on moving someone into the investigator's position.
For the first time in 20 years, the CPD, with the support of the Cobleskill Village Board, will be sending two recruits through the State Police Academy to help fill the vacant slots.
"In the past, we've relied more on lateral transfers," Chief Bialkowski said. "It's nice to have that support from the Mayor and the village board and I'm looking forward to a great working relationship."
Local laws regulating noise and unruly gatherings have helped the CPD get a handle on issues involving SUNY Cobleskill students, but Chief Bialkowski said it also means there's no "slow time."
"It's pretty steady," he said of the workload, "and we see the same type of issues as any city-just on a smaller scale," with drugs-especially heroin-and related crimes like burglary, shoplifting, and fraud-topping the list.
Chief Bialkowski said the department has a good record when it comes to policing drug and drug-related crimes, but he believes by working with agencies to add in things like education and treatment, they'll all have a better outcome.
A few years ago, Chief Bialkowski said, he and Patrolman Jeff Brown took part in a downtown clean-up and he'd like to find a way to get officers more involved in community activities like that.
He's also like to bring the department's bike patrols back.
"I think when we're more visible in the community, people are more comfortable with us," he said.
"Usually, when you need the police, it's not a good thing. But when people know us from other things, it's better for us and better for the community."