Blotter: Sunday, November 1, 2026

Local News
Written by June Mercer

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By June Mercer | November 1, 2026

No new arrest releases from local agencies landed overnight. Sunday, November 1 belongs instead to deadlines and services: 22 Dutchess County Flock cameras face a covering requirement that takes effect today, a new animal cruelty hotline goes live, early voting closes at 5 p.m., state police gear up for Move Over enforcement starting tomorrow, and Fishkill's Halloween curfew runs one final night.

Charges are accusations; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Flock cameras: the 22 that remain

Today was the deadline. The Dutchess County Legislature voted unanimously on October 13 to direct that any county-owned Flock Safety camera still installed as of November 1 be covered with opaque, non-damaging material. As of Friday afternoon, October 30, 35 of the county's 64 cameras had been removed or were in the process of being removed, according to Dailywise. Another 22 required permits from the state Department of Transportation before they could come down. Seven were never installed at all.

The county attorney's office sent Flock a demand notice on September 30, setting an October 30 deadline for hardware removal. That deadline passed with permits still pending for nearly two dozen units. County Director of Communications Colleen Pillus gave no estimate for when the remaining 22 would come down, according to Dailywise.

The Highlands Current has counted 65 county-owned cameras, separate from 372 cameras on private land or state and municipal roads.

The political backdrop: District Attorney Anthony Parisi and Sheriff Kirk Imperati announced September 25 they no longer supported the cameras, two days after a public forum in Pleasant Valley on September 23. County Executive Sue Serino said she would let the covering measure become law without her signature, according to the New Pine Plains Herald.

Whether the covering has happened as of publication, no source confirms. The 22 cameras requiring DOT permits remain an open question.

Animal cruelty hotline launches today

Starting today, Dutchess County residents can call (845) 867-5055 to report animal cruelty. The line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with trained operators. For immediate threats to an animal's safety, residents should still call 911.

The hotline was developed by the Legislature's Animal Welfare and Community Stewardship Committee and the Department of Emergency Response, in partnership with the Sheriff's Office and District Attorney's Office. The county announced protocols on October 26, according to The Highlands Current.

Legislator Anna Shah, committee co-chair, noted that animal cruelty is linked to domestic violence and other serious crimes, making early intervention essential. Legislator Eric Alexander, the other co-chair, said the county needs stronger humane law enforcement and more shelter space. Sheriff Imperati called the initial report a critical first step. District Attorney Parisi said the centralized process ensures reporting, investigation, and prosecution when appropriate.

This blotter previewed the launch on October 29 and covered it on October 31. Today it is operating.

Early voting ends today

Early voting in Dutchess County closes at 5 p.m. today. There is no early voting Monday, November 2. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Turnout has run well ahead of the 2022 midterms. Across Dutchess and Putnam counties, early voting is up 84 percent compared to two years ago, according to The Highlands Current. In Dutchess, 30,532 people cast ballots through Thursday, October 29, compared to 16,514 in 2022, an 85 percent increase. Dutchess has 204,858 active registered voters. In Putnam, turnout rose 80 percent, from 5,164 to 9,318.

Beacon residents can cast early ballots at Fishkill Town Hall, according to the Poughkeepsie Journal.

The New York Attorney General's Election Protection Hotline is open today from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Election Day from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Voters can call (866) 390-2992 or file a complaint online. The hotline has operated since November 2012.

Move Over Week starts Monday

Starting Monday, November 2, state police begin a five-day Move Over Law enforcement campaign running through Friday, November 6. The campaign is part of Crash Responder Safety Week, a coordinated effort pairing motorist education with active enforcement, in partnership with the state Department of Transportation and Thruway Authority, according to 518News.

The focus is on drivers whose aggressive or reckless behavior puts highway workers at risk. The law protects emergency responders, road crews, tow truck operators, and people stopped on the side of the road.

A March 27, 2024 expansion extended the law to any vehicle parked, stopped, or standing on the shoulder or elsewhere on a parkway or controlled access highway, including disabled cars with a flat tire or mechanical trouble, even when no emergency responder is present.

The guidance for drivers: use due care, check traffic, slow down and move over a lane if it is safe. If a lane change is not safe, slow down and pass cautiously. Watch both shoulders for flashing lights, reflective clothing, and people working near traffic.

One last Halloween curfew tonight

One curfew is still in effect tonight. In the Town of Fishkill, anyone under 18 must be off public streets and other public areas from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. on October 30, 31, and November 1, according to Hudson Valley Country. Tonight is the last night.

Other towns' curfews covered only October 30 and 31 and have ended.

Exceptions apply for minors accompanied by a parent or guardian, those with employment obligations, emergencies, and supervised activities.

No New Local Agency Releases

As of publication, no release dated November 1 has come from the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office, whose most recent release covers the October 30 Drug Task Force arrest from Friday's blotter. No release dated November 1 has come from the City of Poughkeepsie Police, Town of Poughkeepsie Police, Hyde Park Police, Beacon Police, Fishkill Police, Dutchess County District Attorney's Office, or Troop K Dutchess County State Police.

Sources

June Mercer

June Mercer covers Dutchess County and the wider Hudson Valley for Reporting from the Uncanny Valley and edits its free newsletter. She writes about town boards, roads, schools, land, and the small stories that turn out not to be small. She lives in Stanfordville.

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Blotter: Saturday, October 31, 2026