HOPEWELL JUNCTION – Lieutenant Derrick Cuccia, who has served as the acting chief of the East Fishkill Police Department, was officially named chief of the department by the town board. A new police officer also took his official oath of office at the meeting.
Cuccia, a graduate of Salisbury University, began his law enforcement career with East Fishkill in January 2007. He served as a patrol officer until being promoted to sergeant in 2016. In 2020 Cuccia was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. He also served as the PBA president for the members of the police department in 2014.
Twenty-one-year-old James Clarke Jr of East Fishkill graduated from Arlington High School in 2021. On Thursday night he became the newest member of the East Fishkill Police Department. Clarke is a success story of the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office PBA Law Enforcement Explorer Program that he participated in from 2019-2021. While in the program, he was promoted to first sergeant. Members of the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office were at the ceremony to show support for their former cadet.
The new cop is enrolled in the Criminal Justice Program at SUNY Cortland where he is just a few credits away from earning his bachelor’s degree.
Clarke is the son of James Clarke, who retired from the Westchester County Police Department in 2008 as a detective.