RE: Released Coyotes in NY in 1983
The fact that the quote is from a police chief lends no more credence to the statement than if anyone else made the statement.
If you are truely interested in the answer you have the chiefs name...get his number, call him, and ask him to provide some evidence.
Either the state stocked coyotes and he can prove it, or he can't.
I don't see his statement as supportive of the theory that NY has stocked Cougars and is denyingit.