Schenectady police officer rejects plea deal Lewis charged in 4 incidents Tuesday, May 12, 2009 By Steven Cook (Contact) Gazette Reporter
SCHENECTADY — Suspended city police Officer John Lewis, charged criminally in four separate incidents, rejected a plea offer Monday, setting the case on course for possible grand jury action. Lewis, 39, of Oregon Avenue, appeared in Schenectady City Court Monday afternoon with his attorney Michael Horan. Horan told City Court Judge Guido Loyola that any resolution was “not doable” at this point. Prosecutor Christina Tremante made the people’s position clear: “Any offer that may have been made in this case is withdrawn.” Details of a plea offer were not discussed in court. Prosecutors declined to discuss it later, including whether it included any resignation provisions. Lewis has been off the job since at least April 2008 on varying stints of paid and unpaid suspension. He has received 30 days’ unpaid suspension after each arrest. He’s been arrested five times. Four of those cases remain open and include charges of criminal contempt, driving while intoxicated and criminal mischief. The contempt counts relate to accusations Lewis violated an order of protection by making threats against his ex-wife. He was charged in December with driving while intoxicated and then in January with alcohol-fueled criminal mischief. Horan told the court in January that his client was in treatment. Horan did not return a call for comment later Monday. All charges against Lewis are misdemeanors, crimes that don’t usually go to grand jury proceedings. But that is an option. Tremante said later that she intended to speak with Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney before deciding which route to take...........>>>>.......http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/may/12/0512_lewisplea/
Lisa and Greg have got something on some people in power and in order to keep the secret from we the people they get a sweet deal and a very light sentences IMHO.
Lisa and Greg have got something on some people in power and in order to keep the secret from we the people they get a sweet deal and a very light sentences IMHO.
It surely appears that way doesn't it? There is no other expaination unless the entire bunch is just plain STUPID!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
SCHENECTADY Long-grieving officer ready to return to work BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Kathleen Moore at 395-3120 or moore@dailygazette.com.
After 20 months out of work, Schenectady Police Officer Joseph McCabe is ready to return to the police force. McCabe has been out with full pay since Sept. 4, 2007, when his wife died in childbirth. Their daughter, Jenna, survived her birth by Cesarean, but Diane McCabe succumbed to internal bleeding. McCabe was left with a newborn daughter and a 6-year-old son, as well as inconsolable grief. Other officers put together Jenna’s crib and brought him meals as he struggled to come to terms with the horrifi c end to what should have been one of the happiest days of his life. He still doesn’t talk about it much, said his father, John Matarazzo. But in recent months, he’s returned to a somewhat normal life. He zips through his Rotterdam neighborhood on a small motorcycle. In his driveway, a red sports car is up on blocks, its engine removed. On his wife’s birthday, he wrote a poem about his children and published it in The Daily Gazette’s in memoriam section. “He had a big, big loss,” Matarazzo said, speaking for his son, who could not be reached. “He seems much better.” He is trying to return to normal life, his father said, to complete the healing process. “He realizes that’s healthy and he wants to get going,” Matarazzo said. “He’s all set now. He’s ready.” Since he has been out of work for so long, the city is reviewing him first to make sure he’s ready to return to work, Corporation Counsel L. John Van Norden said. Once that is complete, he can go back to the daily patrols that once framed his days. Until then, largely through the generosity of his fellow officers and the city’s liberal interpretation of the police benefits contract, he is still receiving full pay. Officers donated their sick time to McCabe in the year following his wife’s death, and between their sick time and his own, he received a year of full pay. He used up all of his sick time, accumulated over seven years on the force, and then used 1,744 hours donated by his colleagues. That donation was unheard of. Department leaders and Van Norden crafted an agreement to allow McCabe time to recover. Beginning late last year, Mc-Cabe came back “intermittently,” Van Norden said. This year, things seemed to be going better, but on March 24, he left work again. He used the five sick days he’d earned since his wife’s death, as well as his nine vacation days. Then he began using his catastrophic illness bank. It is generally only used for personal illness, but Van Norden said the city decided it could be used for the loss of a spouse. In the city contract, officers are supposed to get just five days off after the death of a close family member. ...................>>>>...............>>>>.............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar01001
Why don’t media ever focus on the good that Schenectady police do?
The constant negative representation of the Schenectady Police Department in the media negates much of the positive effect of the hard-working, honest members of the force. Many of these officers constantly put their lives on the line, commit to long overtime hours to answer calls and keep our streets and community safe. Many hours are spent away from families, not through greed but through their dedication to the welfare of Schenectady’s citizens, and to make the city a safe place for everyone. Has the media taken into account the constant influx of downstate criminals and drug trafficking that is challenging to this already overworked force? While there are always going to be individuals in any organization that garner negative attention, it seems ultimately that the officers who are upstanding and honest are by association tarnished in the public eye by the sweeping statements of the media. Even though it is easy to always emphasize the negative, it is also critical to recognize the positive. Who are you going to call when you need someone to protect you?
TIFFANY GIARDONO Rotterdam The writer is a Schenectady police officer’s wife.
I have great respect and admiration for the officers of every police department.
That said, I wonder why Tiffany and her husband don't liv IN hte city - rather in Rotterdam.
Good point!
I also believe that everyone does know about the influx of drug dealers coming here from downstate. Everyone knows that the force is doing the best job it can. First, everyone is questioning WHY these scumbags think that Schenectady is a place to go to expand their illegal business. Maybe it is because they offer the best welfare in the country. Perhaps the powers that be should enforce stronger penalties for drug trafficking and other crimes instead of trying to enforce unenforceable laws such as DWT and the newly proposed 'plastic ban'. The powers that be are clearly the MAIN problem for the SPD.
Second, these cops wouldn't have to be working so much overtime IF they all worked!!!
And lastly, who is policing the police? Like no one knew about Curtis?
These are all issues that contribute to the bad rap the SPD is receiving. And let us not exclude the media who are clearly becoming the parasites of our liberal government.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Schenectady police discipline moves forward Saturday, May 30, 2009 By Kathleen Moore (Contact) Gazette Reporter
SCHENECTADY — Three city police officers out on suspension for months soon will be charged administratively, Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett said Friday. He also scheduled disciplinary hearings for two other officers, who face termination when their cases are heard next month. And on Wednesday, the city took a step toward closing the Justice Department’s long-standing investigation into alleged civil rights abuses by Schenectady police. It’s been a busy week for Bennett, but he wasn’t complaining. “We welcomed it,” he said. “We’d like this thing brought to a conclusion. It’s been lingering a long time.” He spent six hours with Justice Department officials on Wednesday, showing them the policies and procedures that were changed in response to a critical Justice Department report in 2003. His goal was to prove that every issue had been resolved. “I think this matter’s been addressed, and a lot of changes have been made,” he said, calling the open investigation an unfair “little shadow” hanging over the department. The Justice Department officials did not close their investigation Wednesday. Nor did they offer any deadline for making a final determination. But Mayor Brian U. Stratton said he thought he impressed them with his plan to consider a merger between the city and suburban police departments. “And I told them that since their last visit, we’ve turned over 50, 55 officers. So we have a new group, a new mentality,” Stratton said. Still, Stratton had to acknowledge to them that one issue still undermines the department. “We talked about the new issues — the management problems,” he said, referring to one underlying cause of the work-ethic violations of the past year. Several officers were found not working for hours during their shifts and in two cases had left the city limits without anyone noticing. The behavior continued even after the city installed GPS units that show supervisors exactly where each car is at all times. “We talked about how we put in the GPS. But still, the management was not there to stay on top of them,” Stratton said. Poor supervision was also of concern when the Justice Department began investigating the city in 2002. Supervision was cited again as a key failure that allowed Detective Jeff Curtis to steal crack cocaine from the city’s evidence locker in 2007..............................>>>>..........>>>>...............http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/may/30/0530_policediscipline/
Only a grief-stricken Sch’dy cop would take 20 months off — paid
Re May 20 article, “Long-grieving offi cer ready to return to work”: I’m sure there is not a person in this community who would not share in the grief suffered by Offi cer [Joseph] McCabe, with the tragic loss of his wife. Our condolences go out to him and his family. That said, I wonder if the officer would have taken 20 months off if he were not on the payroll. In all my years working for major corporations, and while owning my own business, I never encountered an employee who took more than a two-week leave for a death in the immediate family — with some of that not even paid. Isn’t it time that the Mayor Brian Stratton and Corporation Counsel L.] John Van Norden started looking out for the best interests of the residents of Schenectady and stand up to the police department? By the way, here’s a novel idea. Ask union president [Robert] Hamilton to post his weekly schedule on the city’s Web site.
By PAUL NELSON, Staff writer First published in print: Friday, May 29, 2009
SCHENECTADY -- Representatives from the U.S. Justice Department returned to the city earlier this week to hear from police brass and city leaders about the seven-year-old federal civil rights review of the police department.
For six hours, two lawyers and a consultant from the agency's Civil Rights Division huddled with Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett and Police Chief Mark Chaires.
Bennett, who requested the session, said they had a "healthy discussion" on a wide range of issues as the city tries to show it has addressed recommendations that arose from a FBI probe of departmental corruption that sent four city officers to prison on drug charges in 2002.
More recently, city cops have been suspended for domestic-related problems, drunken driving, and abusing work time. One officer, Jeffrey Curtis, was sentenced to prison for stealing drug evidence...............>>>>..............>>>>...............http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=804873&category=SCHENECTADY
Only a grief-stricken Sch’dy cop would take 20 months off — paid
Re May 20 article, “Long-grieving offi cer ready to return to work”: I’m sure there is not a person in this community who would not share in the grief suffered by Offi cer [Joseph] McCabe, with the tragic loss of his wife. Our condolences go out to him and his family. That said, I wonder if the officer would have taken 20 months off if he were not on the payroll. In all my years working for major corporations, and while owning my own business, I never encountered an employee who took more than a two-week leave for a death in the immediate family — with some of that not even paid. Isn’t it time that the Mayor Brian Stratton and Corporation Counsel L.] John Van Norden started looking out for the best interests of the residents of Schenectady and stand up to the police department? By the way, here’s a novel idea. Ask union president [Robert] Hamilton to post his weekly schedule on the city’s Web site.
JAMES BRODIE Schenectady
I have one friend who lost their 8 year old to brain cancer and took 3 months off from work. I have another friend who's 5 year oldwas killed in an auto accident while the mother was driving. They took 2 months off from work. I guess everyone grieves longer than others
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
One thing not mentioned - the 20months he took off was time contributed by other officers accrued leave. This wasn't a union "bennie" - this was the courtesy of his fellow officers. It's unfortunate to the taxpayers that we had to pay another officer, probably overtime, to cover his shifts, but the 20 months itself I don't really have a problem with. At least we've got him back on the street! Does he have to go for re-training - like Tuffy (Albany) did?
With that said, 20 months does seem like a long time, but he was basically thrust into being a "Mr Mom" 24x7, losing his new wife - that had to be a great amount of stress.
I won't get into union perks that allow this much time to be accumulated (banked).
I had a friend who never got over the death of his father and never returned to work at all in his field, and after 4 years went into another career. Who is to say. When my father died, i went to work the next day because I felt it was the best medicine, but it was a personal choice to me and in tribute to my father that I did it. Losing a wife suddenly in childbirth must be traumatizing like we can't imagine. Kind of a low blow in my opinion, there are other things he could have said.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
SCHENECTADY Public will be allowed at police discipline hearings City official expects legal challenge from PBA BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
The city police disciplinary hearings will be open to the public after all, the city has decided. Corporation Counsel L. John Van Norden changed his earlier recommendation to close the proceedings, saying that the public should be able to watch the hearings of six officers who face termination. Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett officially agreed with the new recommendation Wednesday. “The idea is, transparency is a good thing,” Van Norden said. “It’s something the public needs. If I’m hearing people correctly, they’re upset that they don’t know what’s going on. We have to be aware of and respect the interests of the people who, ultimately, are responsible for their police.” Three of the six officers who face hearings are accused of misbehaving off-duty while drunk. Two others are accused of beating a suspect, who has sued them. The sixth faces charges of leaving his post four hours early on several occasions. The officers are John Lewis, who faces a hearing June 23-24; Darren Lawrence, who faces a hearing on June 26; and four others whose hearing dates have not yet been set — Michael Brown, Andrew Karaskiewicz, Gregory Hafensteiner and Dwayne Johnson. The hearings may be closed for short times during testimony if officers’ prior disciplinary records are entered into evidence, Van Norden said. But he added that...............>>>>.............>>>>...........http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....603&ViewMode=GIF
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