Village of Fredonia Police Department

04/18/2026

The Fredonia Police Benevolent Association will be hosting our annual Community Cleanup Day on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 10AM.

Volunteers are asked to meet at the Water St. Municipal Parking Lot, where you’ll be assigned a cleanup area and provided with garbage bags and gloves.

Coffee, beverages, and hot dogs will be provided ☕🌭

We appreciate anyone willing to come out and help keep our community clean. Hope to see you there! 🌎♻️

04/11/2026

An arrest has been made in connection with a shelter-in-place order issued by the Fredonia Police Department on April 8, 2026. On April 8, 2026, a resident of White Street contacted the Fredonia Police Department to report that Kyle L. Denhardt, 44, was unwanted, refused to leave her residence, and was possibly in possession of a handgun. Members of the Fredonia Police Department responded to the scene and assisted the resident off the property while officers attempted to establish communication with Denhardt. Officers from the City of Dunkirk Police Department, University Police at Fredonia, and the New York State Police responded to assist by establishing and maintaining a secure perimeter. Officers on scene worked through the early morning hours to communicate with Denhardt, who ultimately barricaded himself inside the residence. As a result, White Street was closed to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic, and a shelter-in-place order was implemented. The Fredonia Police Department requested additional assistance and resources from the New York State Police. Special Operations Response Teams (SORT) were deployed, including the Crisis Negotiation Unit (CNU), Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Unit. A Menacing in the Second Degree arrest warrant and a search warrant were obtained. Following several hours of negotiations, Denhardt surrendered peacefully to NYSP SORT and was taken into custody. He was transported to the Fredonia Police Department for processing. Members of the Fredonia Police Department executed a previously obtained search warrant at the residence and discovered a large cache of weaponry, including a handgun commonly referred to as a “ghost gun,” high-capacity magazines, ammunition, rifle parts, and related accessories. Denhardt, who is a resident of Maryland and South Carolina, is charged with the following offenses: Menacing in the Second Degree, Criminal Trespass in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree (Possession of a “Ghost Gun”), and five counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree (Possession of Unfinished Frames). Denhardt was transported to the Chautauqua County Jail for centralized arraignment. Bail was set at $400,000. The Fredonia Police Department would again like to thank the New York State Police, City of Dunkirk Police Department, University Police at Fredonia, the Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office, Fredonia Fire Department, and Chautauqua County Emergency Services for their assistance and cooperation.

04/09/2026

April 8, 2026 — The Fredonia Police Department has lifted the shelter in place for residents on White Street in Fredonia. The incident that prompted the shelter in place has been resolved peacefully and without injuries to anyone involved, and the area of White Street is now safe. The Fredonia Police Department would like to thank the New York State Police (North Central, South Central, and West SORT Teams, BCI), the City of Dunkirk Police Department, the State University of New York at Fredonia Police Department, the Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office, the Chautauqua County Emergency Services Reverse 911 Notification System, and the Fredonia Fire Department and Ambulance Service for their assistance. The Fredonia Police Department also appreciates the support and cooperation of the community during the shelter in place. Additional information will be released as it becomes available pending further investigation.

03/29/2026

Over the past month, the Village of Fredonia Police Department has investigated several incidents of vehicle theft, primarily involving Kia and Hyundai vehicles. We want to remind our community to remain vigilant and take proper precautions to protect your vehicle.

Always remember to lock your vehicle, remove keys and key fobs, and keep valuables out of sight. These simple steps can significantly reduce the risk of theft.

Below are helpful resources from Kia and Hyundai regarding anti-theft support actions and available software upgrades designed to enhance vehicle security. We encourage owners of these vehicles to review the information and take advantage of these safety measures.

Kia Anti-Theft Support Actions:
https://customercare.kiausa.com/SWLD

Hyundai Anti-Theft Software Upgrade Information:
https://autoservice.hyundaiusa.com/Campaign993

The Village of Fredonia Police Department remains committed to keeping our community safe. If you observe suspicious activity or have information related to vehicle thefts, please contact us immediately.

03/29/2026

On March 20th, 2026, members of the Village of Fredonia Police Department conducted a traffic stop at approximately 8:54 pm in the Village of Fredonia for violating New York State Vehicle and Traffic Laws. During a lawful probable cause search of the vehicle, officers recovered a large quantity of illegal narcotics.

The operator of the vehicle, Angela Waldemarson of Westfield, NY, was found to be in possession of a small quantity of co***ne and is charged with: Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th, a Class (A) Misdemeanor. Appearance ticket and Vehicle and Traffic tickets issued.

Rear seat passenger Justin Stoll, of Westfield, NY, was found to be in possession of approximately 9.97 g of co***ne, oxycodone pills, and a digital scale. He is charged with: Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 4th, a Class (C) Felony. Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th, a Class (A) Misdemeanor. Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia 2nd, a Class (A) Misdemeanor. Appearance ticket issued.

Rear seat passenger Alijah Ernewein of Mayville, NY, was found to be in possession of approximately 205.07 g of fentanyl, a small quantity of co***ne, liquid methadone, and several items utilized in the manufacturing, preparation, and packaging of illegal narcotics; she is charged with: Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 2nd, a Class (A-II) Felony. Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd, a Class (B) Felony. Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th, a Class (A) Misdemeanor (2 counts). Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia 2nd, a Class (A) Misdemeanor (2 counts).

Ernewein was also arrested on a violation of probation warrant, and she was transported to the Chautauqua County Jail for centralized arraignment. The investigation is ongoing, and more charges are expected to follow.

03/06/2026

On March 1, 2026, at approximately 1:40 AM a male subject identified as Christian Mota-Cruz threatened several individuals in the east municipal parking lot with a gun. Officers located a loaded 9mm hand gun along with high capacity magazines. Mota-Cruz was taken into custody and transported to the Fredonia Police Department for processing. Mota-Cruz was charged with Menacing, Criminal Possession of a Weapon, and Unlawful Possession of Certain Ammunition Feeding Devices.

03/01/2026

On February 28, 2026, at approximately 2:01 a.m., officers from the Fredonia Police Department conducted a traffic stop on West Main Street. After further investigation, it was determined that the operator of the vehicle, Ronaldo Rodrigues Da Silva, was under the influence of alcohol. Rodrigues Da Silva was taken into custody and charged with Driving While Intoxicated, Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Open Container of Alcohol, and other traffic violations. He was released and is scheduled to appear in Village Court at a later date.

02/27/2026

02/27/2026

We would like to extend our sincere congratulations to Dunkirk Police Chief Chris Witkowski on his retirement after 27 years of dedicated service in law enforcement. As a neighboring department, we have truly appreciated the strong working relationship and cooperation between our agencies. His leadership and dedication to public safety have made a lasting impact on the community. Thank you, Chris, for your years of service, your professionalism, and your partnership. We wish you nothing but the very best in your well earned retirement. 💙

02/26/2026

🐾 Lost & Found Pets Reminder

The Village of Fredonia Police Department regularly assists with lost and found pets in our community.

Please help ensure a quick and safe return home by making sure your pets
✔️ Have updated ID tags
✔️ Are microchipped with current contact information
✔️ Are properly secured

These simple steps make the reunion process much faster and less stressful.

They may be smart, but they still have not figured out how to call us for a ride home. 🐶💙