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Retired state police investigator running as Republican for Potsdam town justice

Posted 10/27/22

BY ADAM ATKINSON North Country This Week POTSDAM — Retired State Police investigator and criminal justice instructor Kenneth “Juddy” Plumb is running on the Republican and Conservative lines …

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Retired state police investigator running as Republican for Potsdam town justice

Posted

BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

POTSDAM — Retired State Police investigator and criminal justice instructor Kenneth “Juddy” Plumb is running on the Republican and Conservative lines for Potsdam town justice in the coming Election.

Plumb is facing Democrat candidate David Haggard, former assistant district attorney and county legislator, who has been serving in the position after being appointed to the seat in December 2021 by the town board.

Plumb brings a 25-year career to the table if elected Nov. 8 and is campaigning for alternative sentencing in local justice courts.

He served with the New York State Police for 20 years as a trooper, canine handler, BCI investigator and school resource officer before retiring in 2008. After that he worked as a BOCES criminal justice instructor until retiring in 2020.

A North Country native, he was born and raised in Norfolk and graduated in 1984 from Norwood-Norfolk Central School. After school he served in the U.S. Army as a military policeman.

Plumb is a member of the American Legion, the Elks and is the president of Adopt a Platoon-444.

“A key part of my campaign platform includes alternative sentencing. The court needs to hold people accountable for their choices and behaviors, and protect public safety, but sentencing should also be constructive,” said Plumb when asked about his judicial philosophy. “A simple traffic ticket should not receive a harsher punishment than an attack on a person or their property. Court fees and fines should not be used as an assembly line revenue source for the state.”

“I have 25 years of law enforcement experience, everything from serving as a Combat Military Police Officer to investigating major crimes as an Investigator with the NYS Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) Unit. This has provided me with real experience in criminal and civil law and court procedures. I’ve also spent time in the trenches protecting and serving people at their most vulnerable and volatile, and at the most tragic times. Judges need to understand the whole picture, not just second guessing what is on paper in front of them,” Plumb told North Country This Week.

When asked what he felt would be ways to make court procedures more efficient, Plumb said improvements start by the justice being present at the court. “The job entails much more than showing up two days a month pushing cases through. You must answer your phone, be available, and most of all respond when summoned. Court clerks are there to assist you, not to do all of your work,” he said.

Plumb said the biggest obstacle for the average citizen to obtain justice is what he feels is a lack of consistency in applying and enforcing rules. Plumb said that often there is little structure at home, in school or on the streets for defendants, and that they often need consequences long before they come before the court. He said laws have been changed to protect the criminal and have seemed to leave the victim behind.

“To change this the voter needs to study their candidates, select with common sense and not party, and most of all, VOTE!” Plumb said.

When asked what criteria he would use for deciding whether to impose or affirm sentences outside of the standard ranges, Plumb said his experience working in criminal justice would play a role.

Understanding the person standing in front of you, their background and circumstances, and why they committed the offense is the foundation to the sentencing. Correction is as important as punishment. What is going to stop this person from being in the same position in the future? These are all criteria that must be considered in sentencing,” Plumb said.

North Country This Week asked Plumb if he believed if all citizens have adequate access to legal help and the legal system and what could be done to improve access.

“Adequate legal help is there but not every citizen accepts the help and not every lawyer assigned or hired provides the same or adequate representation,” Plumb said. “The judge’s job is to make sure that the court rules, processes and procedures are followed and rights of the parties are not violated. A judge must ensure parties are fairly represented and have effective assistance of counsel.”

Critics of the state’s bail reform legislation have pointed to the policy as a contributing factor in skyrocketing crime rates and have dubbed the reform “catch and release.” In certain instances, critics have said local justices have been limited in their ability to try cases due to the policy, which did away with bail amounts and often leads to those arraigned on charges to be immediately released pending a future court date. Plumb was also critical of the policy.

“Bail reform limits judges’ discretion more during arraignment proceedings than in trial,” Plumb said. “I feel the most important limitation is the ability to protect the public from violent predators and persistent criminals. Suspects with pending serious charges allowed to roam free understand the plea system and are basically getting a free pass to commit further crimes and violate orders of protection.”

The candidate was critical of the role politics sometimes plays in the judicial system, especially in light of current high crime rates.

“Bail reform and politics have made our streets and communities the most dangerous in history. Police officers and law-abiding citizens are being attacked and violated in record numbers. It is time our elected leaders stop protecting and serving their political party and start serving and protecting the citizens that elect them. We need to unite as Americans, over and above political parties, and vote wisely on November 8th. ‘Integrity over Politics,’” he said.

We asked the candidate that if elected what he would consider his greatest strengths.

“My employment history and experiences greatly outweigh my opponents. I have seen the criminal justice process through from complaint to sentencing. I am not a politician. I am a hard-working American veteran who has chosen a life of serving and protecting the citizens of this country. The Town of Potsdam needs a judge with experience, integrity, professionalism and service. I have chosen to forego retirement and serve as Potsdam’s Town Justice to provide just that,” Plumb said.

“I hope to continue to be part of the change that must occur to meet the evolving needs of our residents.