Copyright 2023 Newsday. As a penalty, Officer Jernick was required to forfeit 30 sick leave accruals, which may not be reaccumulated for payment purposes and he has been placed on a departmental probation until Dec. 31, 2025. Southold; The county has a total population of 1,493,350 people, . Credit: Randee Daddona. Your email address will not be published. ". Town Supervisor Scott Russell and other members of the Town Board have declined to comment on the disciplinary charges, citing their roles as judges for the disciplinary procedures. The sum is raised to $111,506 once the employee crosses 12 years in the force. Oct 24, 2022, 7:31pmUpdated on Oct 24, 2022. Ms. Finnegan said this referred to a police radio recording that showed Officer Zuhoski was struggling and calling for assistance. Your email address will not be published. Furthermore, Flatley testified that Lake did not always deploy his body microphone as required by departmental protocol, thus when civilian complaints were lodged against him for unjustified or overly aggressive use of police action, respondent could not rely on footage to corroborate or refute the lodged complaints.". Capt. The resident, meanwhile, has left town, saying he feared for his life. All Rights Reserved. Robert Clifford, a spokesman for Mr. Spota, said there had been no reply. Specifically, the Appellate Division held that Mr. Lake had submitted sufficient evidence of wrongful termination so as to entitle him to a trial of the issues. The Southold Police Department also operates an emergency service dispatch center, servicing two police departments and eight local fire departments . Site made in collaboration with CMYK The Suffolk Times has submitted a freedom of information request to obtain those findings, which have not yet been made public. Ex-Scout Leader Charged With Child Porn Pleads Guilty: DOJ, Ex Scout Leader Charged With Child Porn Expected To Plead Guilty: DOJ, LI Dog Lost In Storm Home Safe: 'Words Cannot Express My Gratitude', Spring Jubilee! While declining to be specific, Supervisor Scott Russell confirmed a town employee identified by his employee number in town records as Chief Flatley will be reinstated at a special town board meeting on Monday at 7 p.m. Chief Flatley did not immediately return calls for comment. The Southold Town Board on Monday will reinstate police Chief Martin Flatley, who was suspended indefinitely without pay in August after a two-year investigation into the departments handling of community complaints about a retirement party for one of its sergeants. Topics you care about, straight to your inbox. The town then hired outside counsel to conduct its own investigation and a summary of those findings were presented to the Town Board last month. Lake, who was named a Suffolk County "Top Cop" for his number of DWI arrests in May 2016 and was fired just over two weeks later, sued Southold Town and stated he believed the firing was politically motivated. Supervisor Russell said the board wants to move as quickly as possible on this matter, but it hasn't felt that way to some Southold residents. The other employee is not listed on police union records. We will ultimately determine if discipline is warranted, and to what extent that discipline should be.. "Those complaints were investigated and prompted Chief Flatley to review Lake's department-issued vehicle camera and body microphone audio and video recordings focusing on review of stops, searches, arrests by Lake. The chief will also have to release a letter of apology to the public and retire effective June 24, 2024. Russell admitted the investigation took longer than officials had anticipated, but declined to disclose the specifics of what the report found. "We agree with the trial court that Lakes claims are without merit and that Lake failed to raise an issue of fact that required a trial. Two additional officers and a civilian are still subject to discipline over the incident. The Suffolk Times and Patch reported that Flatleys suspension was directly related to the probe. "We believe the Appellate Division correctly identified and determined the issues and afforded appropriate relief to Mr. Lake. ", Several days later, the petition says that Captain Frank Kruszeski had been contacted by "Joseph Sawicki, the former Republican Suffolk County Comptroller and Suffolk County Assistant Deputy Police Commissioner for Finance, and Mr. Sawicki had made inquiry regarding the propriety of Mr. Romeo's arrest. 21, 2023, 6:58 p.m. | The town has not yet decided if it will appeal, said Patricia A. Finnegan, the assistant town attorney. Mattituck, NY 11952. Angel Torres, 54, of Bellport, was arrested on a driving while intoxicated charge after a police officer observed him failing to maintain his lane of travel on County Route 48 in Southold Tuesday night, according to a Southold Town Police press [] WARNER ROBINS, Ga. (AP) A middle Georgia city has suspended its police department's six-officer narcotics unit after the district attorney began investigating alleged misconduct. Frederick K. Brewington, a lawyer for Mr. Mims, said the jury finding made it clear that Mr. Mims was abused and that ''such behavior will not be countenanced. The Commissioners also complained to the Police Chief, who, in an unusual practice, permitted a Jamesport Commissioner to view the police car video of the stop and subsequent arrests which justified the arrest. Current local time in France - Isre - Grenoble. I dont have any direct knowledge of what occurred at other celebrations after ours.. Contact Us Martin Flatley Chief of Police 41405 Route 25 P.O. The resident notified police and Mr. Cowell was spotted by an off-duty Southold police officer who radioed the location of the vehicle. I dont have any direct knowledge of what occurred at other celebrations after ours.. It happened at a time when gatherings of more than 10 people were prohibited due to COVID-19. The terms of the agreement include a reprimand letter that will be permanently placed in Flatley's personnel file. Police Chief Carlisle Cochran referred questions to Ms. Finnegan, who confirmed that Officer Zuhoski remained on active duty and was ''fully performing all of his assigned duties.''. Steven Witzke. NBC News tried to contact all the officers who were dismissed or. Mr. Mims testified that he had not resisted and that Officer Zuhoski, after handcuffing him, hit him repeatedly with a flashlight while yelling racial insults and threatening to kill him. /. Judge Arthur D. Spatt barred the recording because it was hard to hear and because there was no transcript of it. A Southold police officer, who the town sought to fire over a neglect of duty, will remain on the job on a probationary basis, according to a copy of a settlement agreement obtained by The Suffolk Times. Site made in collaboration with CMYK Town Hall 53095 Route 25PO Box 1179 Southold, NY 11971631-765-1800, Town Hall Annex 54375 Route 25Southold, NY 11971. In December, the Town Board convened for a special meeting, where members voted unanimously to suspend Officer Jernick without pay, pending the results of an investigation. Their calls were verified through cell phone call histories. '', Lucius Ware of Southampton, the president of the eastern Long Island branch of the N.A.A.C.P. "Mr. Helf can be seen in the video memorializing the events at the scene. La Vergne Police Department Officers Larry Holloday, Patrick Magliocco and Gavin Schoeberl have been suspended, they said. The party was held at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic when social gatherings of more than 10 people were prohibited. The police chief advised Lake that the town board in an executive session questioned the necessity of an arrest notwithstanding the clear evidence of the fire chief's intoxication and leaving the scene. Flatley told News 12 he is just anxious to get back to serving the community. 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The other two numbers do not appear on the list, indicating they are not police union members. James Ginas has been the acting chief. Several residents told The Suffolk Times that they had contacted police about the party claims that were verified through cell phone records but no official police reports were generated by the department. "We have a set of rules and everybody plays by those set of rules. Asked about allegations by Mr. Mims and other black residents of Greenport that some town police officers harassed them, Ms. Finnegan, the lawyer, said the town ''recognized that one can have a good-faith perception about something that is not grounded in objective fact. 4 Jersey City police officers used cannabis legally while off-duty. By: News 12 Staff. Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell declined to confirm reports that Flatley was the employee that the town suspended on August 9 as the board ramps up its probe of the alleged mishandling of the party, but he did confirm that Ginas is currently serving as police chief. However, Lake, the petition alleges, believes he was fired "in retaliation for his refusal to give special or preferential treatment to two influential members of the community; a chief of a nearby fire department, and an individual with a close relationship to a local political party." No mention of the incident appeared in the weekly Southold Town police blotter, and Flatley said at the time that I dont have any direct knowledge of what occurred at other celebrations after ours, referring to a traditional walkout ceremony that day at police headquarters for Zuhoski and two other officers leaving the force. Anyone can read what you share. "We respectfully disagree with the appellate division," Duffy said. Southold Town police chief Martin Flatley, who joined the department as a full-time officer in 1980 before rising through the ranks to run it for more than a decade, has been suspended indefinitely without pay pending a disciplinary hearing, The Suffolk Times has learned. Reached via telephone on multiple occasions since Tuesday, Chief Flatley has so far declined to comment on the suspension. The widely reported allegations center on police ignoring complaints that a large group of people attended a retirement party for then-Sgt. The Southold Town Board announced it reached a settlement with the police chief in order for him to be reinstated. Flatley also reviewed footage of an arrest made by petitioner on August 28, 2015 for DWI. '', The statement said the board ''remains firm in its belief that all of the facts, including some information that was not before the jury, show that the officer acted reasonably under the circumstances.''. He would not say where he and his family were going. Multiple local news outlets later reported Flatley was the suspended employee. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Supervisor Scott Russell said during Tuesdays town board meeting that the charges follow an investigative report prompted by the party, which appeared to violate the states early pandemic protocols. Tell us about it! Lake, the court said, was counseled by Flatley on October 6, 2015 in an effort to "redirect" him from overly aggressive police action. The department operates a Communications / Dispatch Center which encompasses most of the North Fork of Long Island by receiving 9-1-1 calls and dispatching for two police departments and eight fire departments. We anticipate the proceeding moving forward and having Mr. Lake's meritorious claims of wrongful termination resolved at trial.". Southold Town Police this morning report two arrests for vehicle and traffic law violations. The legal battle over who is to blame for the death of a Boston police officer during a snowstorm has taken another bitter turn. The Louisville Metro Police Department said Officer Nickolas Wilt was shot in the head while responding to a mass shooting on April 10. He joined the department in 1980 and rose through the ranks to the top job. Southold Town officials may announce disciplinary charges after reviewing an investigative report prompted by a May 2020 retirement party for a police officer that violated state regulations. Southold Town Attorney Bill Duffy told Patch that the appellate division's decision is not a final decision. Russell did not return a call Wednesday seeking comment. Town officials defended themselves against criticism of the slow pace of the probe. Lake properly treated the arrest similarly to all other arrests and did not afford the fire chief 'special treatment,'" the petition said. CEO of Hobby Lobby Reveals Reason Behind Giving Away Ownership of Company: I Chose God, Federal Court Pauses Bidens Student Loan Win Just Weeks Before Midterms. CNN The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District said Friday it had suspended its school police force, less than five months after the attack that left 19 children and two teachers. The chief began his career with the department as a seasonal officer in the late 1970s, before being hired full-time in 1980. 2022 Times Review Media Group. '', Officer in Beating Case Will Remain on Duty, https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/25/nyregion/officer-in-beating-case-will-remain-on-duty.html. NORTH FORK, NY Damon Rallis, a longtime Southold Town employee and Boy Scout leader who was arrested and charged with distribution of child pornography is slated to plead guilty Wednesday,. During that retirement party in Cutchogue for Sgt. ''I don't want anybody to know where I am,'' he said. Several other people also overdosed on fentanyl-laced cocaine between Aug. 11 and Aug. 13, according to the Southold police; emergency responders resuscitated them with naloxone, or Narcan, a. A female La Vergne . In the aftermath of a two-year investigation into the Southold police departments handling of community complaints about a retirement A whale approximately 20 feet long got stuck on a sand bar in Southolds Goose Creek Thursday afternoon. The Southold Town Police Department (STPD), commonly referred to as Southold Police, is the primary law enforcement agency within the town of Southold, New York. The decision by the Supreme Court's Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department, dated Dec. 30, states that video recordings which were reportedly the basis for Lake's termination be released for viewing; in his petition, Lake said that Southold Town had not "produced any contemporaneous records to support its assertion that he had performed poorly as a police officer. investigation of the Mims case. Keep up with all the latest from Eastern LI. ''It's high time for Southold to hire some black police officers. Their calls were verified through cell phone call histories, though no official police report was ever generated by the department. Mr. Spota has also declined to ask for a prosecutor from another jurisdiction. Multiple other stipulations included in the agreement were redacted, with the town attorneys office citing section 89-2 of the Public Officers Law, which protects the privacy of a public employee. No official police report was ever generated by the department about the party. All rights reserved. The town said that it opposed a special prosecutor and that the police had been exonerated in an F.B.I. "Thereafter, the Commissioners of the Jamesport Fire Department and politicians complained to the town supervisor concerning the arrest. Southold Town Police (Southold Town photo), our Hamptons Insider newsletters delivered direct to you. The Southold police chief, Joseph Conway, has ordered an internal investigation of the charges made by Mr. Mimms. ''It is my hope that through this litigation things will change in Southold and that they will grow and learn a lesson. There is a second local police officer still listed on the commission's decertification list. Building 3, Suite 2 Shes a Riverhead native and 2015 graduate of Arcadia University. Capt. Officer Zuhoski testified during the trial that he used no racial epithets and only enough force to subdue Mr. Mims, who he said was resisting arrest. The Southold Town Board suspended one of those employees without pay, but officials have not released the names of any of the individuals involved. The town maintained that Lake was fired for "overzealous" behavior during traffic stops. Southold Town police chief Martin Flatley, who joined the department as a full-time officer in 1980 before rising through the ranks to run it for more than a decade, has been suspended indefinitely without pay pending a disciplinary hearing, The Suffolk Times has learned. As a result of the arrest of Mr. Romeo at the scene, Lake was informed by a former town board member that Mr. Helf stated at Republican events that Lake would lose his job. Five Southold Town employees face disciplinary charges, including one who has been suspended without pay, in connection witha May 2020 party for an officer who was retiring from the police department. During Tuesdays meeting, East Marion resident Jordan Silbert pressed the town for an update on the findings and criticized the board for not taking action sooner. James Ginas is now the acting chief, a source confirmed. Chief Martin Flatley was under fire after a retirement party was held during the height of the pandemic, when gatherings of 10 or more people were not allowed. Witzke, who has been a police officer in Southold for over a decade, is one of five town employees facing disciplinary action after an investigation into the police departments response to community complaints about a May 2020 retirement party for one of its officers that violated social distancing protocols in place at the time. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Lake, who was fired on May 19, 2016, four days before the end of his probationary period, is represented by attorney Eric Bressler of Mattituck's Wickham, Bressler and Geasa, PC; his petition was initially denied in 2017 by the New York State Supreme Court. After he was fired, Lake filed an Article 78 seeking a judicial determination to vacate the decision to terminate his probationary employment, with the goal of being reinstated to his position.
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