Re June 1 letter, “Only a grief-stricken Sch’dy cop would take 20 months off — paid”: I feel before anybody should judge or make comments about Offi cer Joe McCabe, [they] should find more information out. Joe did not just take 20 months off — all that time was donated to him by his fellow officers. Also, that is a very hard thing to have to get over. Not only was it supposed to be the happiest day of his life, it turned into a tragedy. His perfectly healthy wife went in to deliver a baby and died — it was not something they were expecting. So not only did he have to grieve over his wife but try to raise a newborn baby by himself — plus the son they already had. So the letter that was placed in the paper was completely unfair. That offi - cer has had a lot more to deal with than anybody has had to deal with.
Regarding your June 4 article pertaining to the retirement of police Detective Jack Sims: Finally some good news about the Schenectady Police Department. There has been too much negativity reported and commented on in the news regarding the Schenectady police. This article proves that, in spite of everything, there are excellent officers in the department who truly deserve recognition. Thank you for reporting and recognizing one of Schenectady’s finest and showing us that there are good guys out there serving and protecting!
Schenectady police tackling arrest warrant backlog Friday, June 19, 2009 By Kathleen Moore (Contact) Gazette Reporter
SCHENECTADY — The police have redoubled their efforts to serve arrest warrants from as far back as 1994, but hundreds of accused criminals have still not been found. Last year, the City Council discovered that warrants had been building up for more than a decade, with 200 felony warrants and 800 misdemeanor warrants never served. Some of the warrants were so old that they had to be thrown out, the accused saved by the statute of limitations. Police don’t have records on how many warrants expired, but they have served 97 of the old warrants in the past four months, including eight arrests based on warrants written before 2002. They also made 455 arrests on current warrants, improving their arrest rate by 10 percent over last year.............>>>>..........>>>>............http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/jun/19/0619_warrants/
I bet there are some residents that would be more than willing to take a look at those pictures of those with outstanding warrants and let you know if they've seen them, or keep an eye out for them. Maybe this is something that the police should team up with some people, like neighborhood watch programs or CI's.
Police disciplinary hearings to begin in Schenectady Sunday, June 21, 2009 By Kathleen Moore (Contact) Gazette Reporter
SCHENECTADY — Disciplinary hearings for city police officers charged with various offenses are scheduled to begin on Tuesday. Two officers who have been on paid leave for more than eight months will face the accusations against them in open court for what may be the first time in Schenectady history. The decision was not made easily. Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett announced two years ago that he would openly try officers under a new Court of Appeals decision. But the threat of public discipline motivated nearly every officer to confess to misdeeds without going to trial, Bennett said. The only way they could avoid the possibility of public humiliation was to accept his discipline and waive all rights to an appeal. For the past year, a few officers have flirted with the idea of a trial — but none followed through until officer Darren Lawrence called Bennett’s bluff this spring. Bennett immediately announced that the long-promised public hearings would be closed, to avoid lawsuits from officers demanding privacy..................>>>>..............>>>>>............http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/jun/21/0622_cop_trials/
SCHENECTADY City police disciplinary hearings postponed Union pushes for closed sessions; city wants ‘transparency’ BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
The long-awaited disciplinary hearings for seven city police officers will not start today because of a court ruling. The police union went to court Monday in an effort to close the hearings, which were to be open to the public. Before hearing arguments from the city, Acting Supreme Court Justice Barry Kramer signed an order banning open hearings for at least three weeks. Corporation Counsel L. John Van Norden was taken aback by the sudden decision, delivered to his office Monday morning. He demanded an emergency hearing to argue in favor of openness. The day’s dramatic events ended with an afternoon session in front of Kramer featuring attorneys for the city, the Police Benevolent Association and personal attorneys for officer John Lewis, who would have been tried administratively in public today. Van Norden threw together an argument in a matter of hours and raced to court to present it. “We demand transparency. It is what the public deserves. It is what the police officers deserve,” Van Norden said. But Michael Ravalli, representing the PBA, warned that police officers would experience irrevocable harm if their discipline was made public. “I understand the public and media interest in this, but the police officers have rights under Civil Rights law,” he said. Van Norden said the Civil Rights Law is “wishy-washy” on the matter, while the Second Class Cities Law that allows the city to hold such hearings requires them to be public. He also cited the Court of Appeals ruling that, according to the city, empowered Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett to discipline officers himself. Previously, arbitrators made the final decision. Kramer told the city that he would review written arguments and the complex .....................>>>>....................>>>>...........http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....0&Continuation=1
2 Schenectady cops could face dismissal Mayor says police officers were ‘derelict in their duty’ Wednesday, June 24, 2009 By Kathleen Moore (Contact) Gazette Reporter
SCHENECTADY — Two officers involved in the alleged beating of a man in 2007 are now facing internal discipline over the incident and may be fired. Officers Gregory Hafensteiner and Andrew Karaskiewicz, who have been out of work since December 2007, were charged administratively two weeks ago, Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett said. He declined to detail the charges but said there was a long list. The details will be kept secret for now under a departmental policy to keep such matters private, he said. However, he plans to hold public disciplinary hearings for both officers if Judge Barry Kramer rules next month that such hearings can be held in public. At that point, the officers’ charges would be made public. Mayor Brian U. Stratton said the charges against the officers are so extensive that both should be fired. “Certainly, they’re entitled to their day in court,” he said, then added, “Our evidence and our feeling is their actions are worthy of dismissal. They were both derelict in their duty.” They have been on paid leave since January 2008 while several investigations into their conduct were completed. Karaskiewicz has been paid $96,407 to stay home during that time while Hafensteiner has been paid $99,641, according to city payroll records. They were pulled from active duty after the Dec. 7, 2007, arrest of Donald Randolph at the Union Street McDonald’s. Karaskiewicz arrested Randolph on a driving while intoxicated charge after seeing Randolph outside a vehicle that had been parked in the McDonald’s drive-through. Randolph later admitted to having driven the vehicle, but the drunken driving charge fell apart from lack of evidence. Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney said Karaskiewicz acted with scant information. He didn’t perform any sobriety tests, didn’t check Randolph’s license and didn’t even see Randolph drive. Instead, Karaskiewicz made the arrest based on his observation that Randolph had glassy eyes and smelled of alcohol, Carney said. What happened next has been veiled in secrecy for more than a year, although officials say they have some police car video footage showing at least part of the alleged beating...............>>>>............>>>>>.............http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/jun/24/0624_police/
One count against cop dropped Tuesday, June 30, 2009 By Steven Cook (Contact) Gazette Reporter
SCHENECTADY — Suspended city police Officer Kyle Hunter walked out of Schenectady City Court Monday afternoon facing one fewer charge, as an absent witness helped force the dismissal of the original criminal count against him. City Court Judge Guido Loyola granted a defense motion to dismiss the misdemeanor unauthorized use of a motor vehicle count against Hunter. Defense attorney Michael Horan made the motion after prosecutor Christina Tremante explained the sole witness, Hunter’s ex-girlfriend, did not appear for the scheduled bench trial. Tremante also said later there were other problems, as the woman recanted her story to prosecutors in an earlier conversation. Hunter is not off the hook entirely. He still faces a felony criminal contempt count, accused of violating an order of protection related to the original unauthorized use charge. That case is to be back in court July 20. The key witness in that case is still Hunter’s ex-girlfriend. Horan speculated after court this afternoon that the felony case might meet the same fate if the ex-girlfriend doesn’t testify..........>>>>....................>>>>>.....http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/jun/30/0630_copcharge/
SCHENECTADY Police officer’s hearing postponed to July 16 BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Michael Goot at 395-3105 or mgoot@dailygazette.net.
The police officer facing termination after being arrested fi ve times in the last year is continuing outpatient treatment for an alcohol problem. John W. Lewis, 39, of Oregon Avenue was scheduled to appear in Schenectady City Court on Monday for an update on the status of his criminal cases. He faces four charges of criminal contempt, driving while intoxicated and criminal mischief. Schenectady Assistant District Attorney Matthew Sypniewski told City Court Judge Guido Loyola that Lewis’ attorney, Michael Horan, had spoken with the prosecutor on the case and asked for an adjournment until July 20. The reason was that Lewis had anticipated defending himself at the city’s hearing to fire him, which was scheduled for June 23. However, that has been put off for a few weeks after the Police Benevolent Association fi led a motion to prevent the hearings for Lewis and other officers the city seeks to terminate from being open to the public. Sypniewski said there appeared to be a “mutual misunderstanding” as to why the case was still on Monday’s docket after Horan had contacted prosecutors. He added that Lewis had completed an inpatient treatment program and is attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. .............>>>>.............>>>>...........http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar01005
Mayor to swear in nine new city police officers SCHENECTADY — Schenectady Mayor Brian U. Stratton will swear in nine police officers Monday morning in the Rotunda at City Hall. The officers, who will enter the Zone 5 Law Enforcement Training Academy on Wednesday for six months of basic training, are: James Claus, 21, of Pattersonville. He is a 2008 graduate of Schenectady County Community College with an associate degree in criminal justice. Michael Dalton, 29, of Schenectady. He is a former corrections officer with the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Department and attended SCCC. Brandon Kietlinski, 24, of Princetown. He is a 2007 graduate of Hartwick College with a bachelor of arts in mathematics. Steven Nelson, 24, of Clifton Park. He is attending Hudson Valley Community College and studying criminal justice. Louis Perfetti III, 24, of Green Island. He is attending HVCC. Michael Randle, 22, of Rotterdam. He is a former police offi cer in the city of Columbia, S.C., and a 2004 graduate of Mohonasen High School. Kevin Rayball, 23, of Ballston Lake. He is a 2008 graduate of Buffalo State College with a bachelor’s in political science. Zachery Weakley, 24, of Delanson. He studied criminal justice at SCCC. Adam Willetts, 24, of Troy. He is a 2007 graduate of Norwich University with a bachelor’s in international studies.
check out some of the credentials!!! Some have just 'studied' criminal law. Don't they have to get a degree in it first?
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
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