NEW YORK CITY, NY –
A former East Greenbush police officer’s resignation has been reclassified as a removal for cause after state officials questioned how the town reported his departure following a stalking arrest.
The new designation means Peter E. Lavin, 40, is likely to lose the basic training certificate required to work as a police officer in New York.
State Police arrested Lavin on July 28 and charged him with misdemeanor stalking. Authorities allege that he sent threatening messages to his estranged wife through a court-ordered co-parenting application over a five-month period.
The allegations have not been proven in court. Lavin’s criminal case is being handled by the Albany County District Attorney’s Office as special prosecutor.
Lavin resigned effective August 7, citing personal reasons. Town officials initially treated the departure as a standard resignation even though they knew about the criminal allegations.
That classification mattered. New York requires law-enforcement employers to report whether an officer leaves in connection with discipline or alleged misconduct. A resignation in good standing does not automatically trigger the same certification review.
East Greenbush’s first state submission was rejected because the employment status was reported incorrectly, according to the Times Union. A later submission classified the exit as a standard removal.
The state Division of Criminal Justice Services advised the department to file again. On Wednesday, the department reported Lavin’s departure as a removal for cause.
Town Supervisor Jack Conway accepted responsibility for the original classification. He said he wanted Lavin off the payroll quickly and was told that firing him could lead to a union grievance lasting months.
Speed removed Lavin from the department, but the initial paperwork left his statewide certification intact. That created the possibility that he could seek another law-enforcement job while the criminal case remained unresolved.
New York strengthened police-certification rules to prevent officers from avoiding misconduct review by resigning and moving to another agency. Departments may not hire officers who have been decertified since October 2021.
Lavin was not listed on the state’s public decertification roster when it was last updated October 15. The for-cause filing begins a process that is expected to change that status.
The case exposes why exit paperwork is an accountability tool, not a clerical detail. How an agency labels a resignation can determine whether an officer facing serious allegations keeps credentials that carry public authority.
East Greenbush is also operating without a formally designated police chief. A retired chief and the assistant chief are sharing leadership responsibilities while the town searches for a replacement.
Unanswered questions include when the certification decision will become final, whether the department will review its earlier reporting practices and whether any other misconduct-related departures were classified as ordinary resignations.
Sources
Times Union, Ex-East Greenbush Police Officer Faces Loss of Credentials
Town of East Greenbush, August 12, 2026 Special Meeting Minutes
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