RAMAPO, NY — The Ramapo Police Department is addressing what officials say was inaccurate reporting in a recent social media post by 101.5 WPDH regarding police activity on a Hudson Valley street.
According to Ramapo Police, the WPDH headline described the situation as “chaos” and suggested there had been an “oopsie” or a “mistake by police.” Officials say those descriptions do not reflect what actually occurred.
Police said officers responded to the location after being notified by a county agency conducting an inspection that had identified suspicious-looking fluids. Because officers are not chemical experts, the Rockland County Hazardous Materials Team was requested to respond and evaluate the substance in accordance with standard public safety protocols.
Authorities said the response was precautionary and followed established procedures used when an unknown substance is encountered.
“There was no chaos, no mistake by police, and no misunderstanding,” officials said in a statement. “The response was calm, controlled, and precautionary.”
Police also noted that weather conditions at the time included periods of heavy rainfall, which resulted in minimal pedestrian activity in the area.
Officials emphasized that calling in trained hazardous materials specialists is the appropriate response when officers encounter a potential chemical hazard.
The department added that while officers are committed to protecting public safety, accurate reporting is important when describing emergency responses.
“Public safety deserves accuracy, not sensationalism,” the department said.