By DIANE VALDEN
HUDSON—Hudson Police Department Senior Sergeant Christopher Filli died after suffering a medical emergency while on duty Friday, January 12. He was 50 years old.
In a January 13 press release, HPD announced the untimely passing of Sr. Sgt. Filli with “deep sorrow and heavy hearts.” According to the release, “Sr. Sgt. Filli was a respected and dedicated member of HPD for 22+ years. His commitment to duty and selfless service left an indelible mark on those who had the privilege of working alongside him. He was an exceptional officer and will be greatly missed by all.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Sr. Sgt. Filli’s family, friends, and colleagues during this challenging time. We extend our deepest condolences, and we stand together as a community to support each other through this loss.”
Sr. Sgt. Filli joined the City of Hudson Police Department October 26, 2001, and served until he died.
He is survived by his wife and six children.
Sr. Sgt. Filli loved the community he served for so long, and HPD asks the community to come together to remember his dedication and service.
Funeral services for Sr. Sgt. Filli will be held Thursday, January 18, 2024, 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church/Holy Trinity Parish, 429 East Allen Street, Hudson.
Street closures in the area of St. Mary’s Church include East Court Street, East Allen Street and Power Ave. There will also be no parking in the area, which will be marked with signage.
HPD thanks the community for its support through this difficult time as they continue to grieve.
Police also thank “surrounding law enforcement and public safety agencies to include but not limited to: New York State Police, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Columbia County 911, Hudson Fire Department, Greenport Fire Department, Greenport Police and Greenport Rescue Squad for their unwavering support while our department mourns the loss of our officer.”
The cause of Sr. Sgt. Filli’s death is unknown. An ongoing investigation is underway.
In a post to its website, the Columbia County District Attorney’s Office offered “our sincere and deepest condolences to the family and friends of Senior Sgt. Christopher Filli, who died in the line of duty last week.
“He was a loving husband, father, son and brother with more than two decades in law enforcement. He also served as president of Local 3979 and was honored with the Exceptional Duty Award in 2019.
“Thank you for a lifetime of service to your hometown. Rest in peace, Sgt. Filli.”
Friends of the Filli family ask the public to consider donating to a GoFundMe fundraiser for the family at https://www.gofundme.com/f/senior-sergeant-christopher-filli?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet-first-launch&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer following the sudden passing of HPD Sr. Sgt. Filli. According to the GoFundMe post: “Chris was a well-respected and dedicated member of Hudson Police Department for 22+ years. More importantly, he was a loving husband to Megan Filli, and dedicated father to Chris, Abby, Angie, Kylie, Leighton and Nico.
“As the sole provider for his family, those who knew Chris know that he worked very hard daily to provide for his family and that he would want nothing more than to make sure his family has everything they need during this difficult time.
“All donations will go directly to the Filli family.
“We are grateful for the intense love and support everyone has already shown the Fillis.”
An obituary for Sr. Sgt. Filli appears on page 19 of the issue.
100,000+ tickets issued over Christmas-New Year’s
ALBANY—New York State Police and Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) announced that 106,509 tickets were issued statewide, as part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over traffic enforcement period over the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays. The initiative, which targeted impaired and reckless drivers, began Wednesday, December 13, 2023 and ended Monday, January 1, 2024.
The total statewide numbers are as follows: Impaired Driving 3,030; Distracted Driving 1,027; Move Over Law 597; Other Violations 78,685; Seatbelt 2,537; Speeding 20,633; Grand Total 106,509.
These traffic enforcement campaigns are funded by the GTSC, which promotes and supports participation of law enforcement agencies at the state, county and local levels in high-visibility enforcement efforts. Grant funding is intended to provide for supplemental traffic enforcement and engagement during those times of the year, like the holidays, when there is greater potential for drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs to be on the road.
State Troopers arrested 510 people for DWI and investigated 3,210 accidents, which resulted in 420 people being injured and five fatalities.
Throughout the enforcement, State Police utilized sobriety checkpoints, additional DWI patrols, and ticketed distracted drivers who used handheld electronic devices. Troopers also used both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) vehicles as part of this crackdown in order to more easily identify motorists who were violating the law. These vehicles blend in with everyday traffic but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated.