To the Editor:

Yes, Virginia, there is one more recourse.

On May 23, 2024, The Altamont Enterprise ran an article, “No recourse for driver faulted in GPD accident report,” about my dismal and disheartening experience with the Guilderland Police after I was involved in a hit-and-run accident.

At that time, it appeared I had exhausted all avenues of recourse.

Then an Enterprise reader contacted me about LEMIO — Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigative Office, which is part of the Office of the New York State Attorney General.

The LEMIO website states it “protects New Yorkers’ safety and civil rights by preventing and remedying misconduct by law enforcement professionals” and has jurisdiction over more than 500 local law enforcement agencies.

A complaint may be filed using the online form found through the LEMIO website.

Misconduct includes, but is not limited to, abuse of power, conflict of interest, corruption, criminal activity, discrimination/bias, force, fraud, participation in a hate crime/violent hate group/criminal gang/other similar organization, and wrongful search or stop.

Although there is no guarantee that LEMIO will act on a complaint, the more people who report misconduct, the more likely LEMIO will investigate.

If you experience misconduct and cannot get satisfaction with the local law-enforcement agency involved, take advantage of LEMIO. After all, we citizens do not exist to serve law-enforcement agencies. Law-enforcement agencies exist to serve us.

Jill Harbeck

Altamont