Saratoga Springs Police have released a video of Mayor Ron Kim in an epithet-laced rant at Public Safety Deputy Commissioner Jason Tetu and Public Safety Commissioner James Montagnino that took place in City Hall.
Apparently, Kim had received some emails that he considered threatening. He also claimed that the same person who sent these emails to him sent threatening emails to someone in his family.
Kim was referred to the police sergeant who handles complaints. Apparently, the sergeant, after reviewing the emails, said that they did not rise to the level of serious threat and declined to pursue the matter.
This prompted Kim to take his anger out by going to the Commissioner of Public Safety’s office where he confronted Public Safety Deputy Commissioner Jason Tetu with sufficiently abusive language that Tetu threatened to have Kim arrested.
Montagnino came out of his office and received additional abuse from Kim.
This is a link to the Saratoga Springs Police Department Facebook page containing the video.
Kim told the Times Union he planned to apologize.
Saratoga Springs Politics 
Ron Kim’s meltdown = another embarrassment.
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This nightmare has got to end!
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It’s obvious and quite apparent that Mayor Kim does not have the wherewithal, experience, or true dedication to serve the people of that City. His constant rolling over like a dog on his back for all of these derelicts that keep interrupting City business, allowing them to do so, and further apologizing on behalf of everybody in the administration and that City for things that are completely out of his control is further proof that he is not cut out to do his job properly. He is a complete embarrassment to the City of Saratoga Springs, and New York State as a whole, especially after his most recent tirade of expletives and poor behavior toward other administrators in that department. He should probably join the black lives matters group as an official spokesperson, perhaps he would find solace in the job of that nature, resignation would be the best thing he can do at this point in time. Mayor Kim, you are an embarrassment and an incompetent for that position which you now hold and should resign from.
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On Tuesday evening May2 the city council passed Mayor Ron Kim’s resolution apologizing for racism in Saratoga that seemed to especially label the Saratoga Springs Police Department as racist.
On Thursday May 4 Mayor Ron Kim was recorded by an SSPD body camera loudly yelling and swearing in a confrontation with Public Safety Deputy Commissioner Jason Tetu and Commissioner Jim Montagnino. This video appears to show the confrontation in its entirety before any loud altercation had begun that would draw a police officer to the scene to restore order – almost as if someone had been waiting to record such an incident. There seems to be no attempt at all by any SSPD member recording the incident to enforce order or ensure the safety of those present. This body camera video was then released by the SSPD almost immediately, in what has to be a speed record for the department. The SSPD also issued a press release saying it was releasing the video to live up to expectations of “transparency and accountability” – exactly the opposite of what it’s been known for in the past.
Coincidence?
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Are they not justified in exposing this nonsense? I, for one, like to know when the mayor of my city is acting like this. On a similar note, the Times Union released an article indicating that Ron Kim was apologizing for his conduct within minutes of police releasing the video. Is it any coincidence that they were so on the spot? Was it any coincidence that this self-proclaimed “news” publication chose that angle, when the real story (for which there is plenty of fodder lately) is that our mayor has anger management issues that need resolving?
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I disagree with Jim C. The SSPD has a history of transparency and accountability. For instance, after Darryl Mount passed away, no further criminal action could be taken against him for the pending charge of assaulting a woman. The SSPD then held a public meeting on June 20, 2014 where all the videos and documents generated by the comprehensive investigation into the matter were released to the community and to the press. The videos and documents were then posted on the City website where they remained for years.
Any resolution that ‘seemed to especially label the Saratoga Springs Police Department as racist’ should have been voted down by all five Council members since that is not an accurate description of current members of the SSPD.
If Mayor Kim’s family has been threatened in any way, then the Mayor certainly has a right to be angry and possibly has an excuse for his behavior. That person should be dealt with by the authorities. However, if the Mayor’s family has not been threatened, then the Mayor should profoundly apologize to the person whom he identified in front of casual witnesses as the one making threats.
Chris Mathiesen
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Mr. Mathiesen:
I’m confused by your response. You say “The SSPD has a history of transparency and accountability”, but I don’t know what era of SSPD history you’re referring to.
You were Public Safety Commissioner from January 2012 to December 2017. During that time, around October or November 2013, SSPD Chief Veitch reportedly misled a news reporter by claiming there had been an investigation into the Darryl Mount incident, when no such investigation occurred. Chief Veitch reportedly later admitted in a May 2017 sworn deposition that there had been no investigation, though this information seems not to have become transparent public information until a September 2018 Times Union article.
When you were Public Safety Commissioner, the SSPD chief gave a false statement, misleading a reporter and perhaps the general public. When you were no longer Public Safety Commissioner, in September 2018 the Times Union “unveiled” the truth of what had happened on your watch – that there was no investigation.
Is this the SSPD “history of transparency and accountability” you’re referring to?
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Jim C—you stated that “the video appears to show the confrontation in its entirety before any loud altercation had begun that would draw a police officer to the scene to restore order.” Other video footage, though, from city hall surveillance cameras, shows Kim first pounding on the door to Montagnino’s office. Although there is no audio, it is not unreasonable to assume that this was accompanied by Kim shouting, all of which would have drawn a response from police who are stationed close by. Are you suggesting that the police knew ahead of time that Kim was going to act out and were there waiting for that? Also, I don’t think a city official yelling at another city official requires a police officer to restore order. Deputy Commissioner Angela Rella, among others, are shown passing by as if this sadly is not an occurrence out of the ordinary,
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Chris Mathiesen for Mayor. A lifelong resident who is passionate about his hometown restoring law and order to the City Council. Chris has served 3 terms as Safety Commissioner and he backs our wonderful Police.
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The mayor seems to be under outside pressure to make false accusations, push through legally deficient resolutions, and has extremely significant emotional control issues that do not even appear to be alcohol or drug related. He should resign and obtain professional counseling services.
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The mayor names the person who he alleges is threatening his family (sounds like “Xxx Xxx”), so why isn’t he just going to the police directly? If he was getting anonymous threats I could see why he’d ask a colleague for advice on what to do next, but if he literally knows who the person is then why involve the deputy or commissioner at all? Kim looks to be awful at council meetings and in city hall, and we’ll all be better off when he’s out of office.
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It amazes me the arrogance of this guy. I find it hysterical that the mayor can repeatedly say X*@$ YOU to other members of city management and nothing happens to him. Once his tantrum was over and he realized the fallout he was going to receive from acting extremely unprofessional and out of control, he simply thinks saying I’ll apologize will suffice. If that video had not been recorded, this tirade would have been denied. Any employee of the city who acted in this manner would have been terminated immediately ! Is this how our city mayor conducts daily business? This shows the character and leadership skills of this individual. His repeated demand that the video be taken down actually show lack of transparency in which he proclaims to promote. As an attorney, an officer of the court and a former Commissioner of Public Safety, I would expect Mr. Kim to know the legal basis needed to draw a formal criminal complaint.
The Chief of police personally E-mailing him is not good enough for the chosen few. Going to the police department is apparently beneath him.
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You’re saying we actually have a Chief of Police??
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