New Police Chief For Cobleskill

By Joshua Walther

COBLESKILL - It was last Tuesday when the Cobleskill Village Board accepted the retirement of Chief of Police James McCrum.

After a year of service, Chief McCrum has stepped down from his position as head of the police department. He entered the role when the Village was embroiled in a tumultuous period, one that saw mass resignations from the department and partial patrol coverage.

However, with over twenty years of experience, Mr. McCrum navigated the crisis in tandem with the Village Board, and the members were saddened to hear the news of his own retirement.

In order to honor his brief but impactful service, the Board offered a resolution that speaks to his work ethic and humor, and they gave their sincere gratitude and appreciation for what he accomplished.

After the resolution was passed, Mr. McCrum stated that he wasn’t leaving due to any reason other than wanting to work on construction of his new house, located over half an hour away. “It’s hard to be a cop and a general contractor at the same time,” he concluded.

However, this isn’t the last that Cobleskill has seen of Mr. McCrum, as he will continue to operate as a part-time police officer within the Village.

Shortly thereafter, the Board approved Joseph Mazzone III as the department’s new Deputy Chief, and in Mr. McCrum’s absence, he will be Acting Chief of Police until another appointment is made next month.

Mr. Mazzone comes with an extensive law enforcement background of his own. He stated that he’s worked in Schenectady, Albany, Altamont, as well as with the state education department, and the change to Cobleskill is not lost on him.

“This town is different. There’s mom and pop shops all over the place, and I think that’s awesome,” he stated with a smile. “I’ll continue to follow in the Chief’s shoes, and I’m really looking forward to what’s ahead.”