One thing we have to remember about the Police Benevolent
Association’s decision to file a complaint against Chief John Tedesco for
releasing the findings of an Internal Affairs investigation is that it has
nothing to do with the fact he sent the letter to the complainant - it has to do with control of the TPD.
It’s all about control of the Police Department when, or if,
Commissioner Anthony Magnetto retires early next year. I think a couple
commenters on this blog summed up the open questions nicely.
 |
| TEDESCO |
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| MAGNETTO |
One question is why the PBA waited seven months from when Tedesco
issued the letter to Frank Fogarty telling him that Officer Kyle Jones did
indeed used excessive force during a Dec. 23, 2012 arrest. Tedesco issued the letter
to Fogarty in April and the PBA didn’t file a complaint about it with IA until
this month.
As a commenter said:
“Someone (i.e. the PBA) is playing a trump card.”
First, as I mentioned, can you imagine if the report wasn’t
released? If a black guy filed a complaint about getting beat up by white cops
and the report was buried. Also, the city gave Brian Houle a letter telling him
that Jones did not use excessive force when Houle was arrested in June, 2012
and nobody made a stink about that one. As far as I can tell, it is standard
operating procedure to release an IA finding to the complainant.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the PBA started making
accusations against the chief shortly after Magnetto started telling people he
may retire early next year. And that means the PBA, which is a driving force
behind getting Magnetto appointed, has to start dirtying up the chief again so
Mayor Lou Rosamilia feels obliged to appoint another commissioner.
If you remember the PBA, behind President Bob Fitzgerald (pictured right),
started dirtying up the chief the day he was appointed with the absurd
allegation that he got the job in return for covering up a drug investigation
into the administration of then Mayor Harry Tutunjian.
I don’t think I have to repeat the fact the PBA doesn’t like
Tedesco because he is a staunch disciplinarian and initiated all sorts of
changes in an effort to make the department run more efficiently. The PBA knew
it was coming, didn’t take kindly it when it did as it would just as soon see
the status quo and by that I mean overtime.
In addition, Tedesco is threatening to sue the city claiming his constitutional rights were violated by the city imposed gag order and for curtailing of his power and duties. I think everyone hoped Tedesco would just throw up his hands and retire, but obviously that’s not happening anytime soon.
All that may be true, but Rosamilia (pictured left) is well within his right
to appoint a police commissioner – yes there is some ambiguity about whether it
should be a police commissioner or public safety commissioner but the basic
premise is the same. The mayor wants his policies initiated and winning an
election gives him that right but the question remains: Who is driving the bus,
the mayor or the PBA.
Tedesco’s attorney, Brian Premo (pictured right), has mastered the art of
getting at the underlying dirt - God knows, he had enough practice during voter
fraud and his representation of others like Rensselaer Chief Rick Fusco - and
he is asking a bunch of questions the PBA, the administration and the Council
would just not soon answer. Also, he and Tedesco are asking the FBI look into
the PBA’s allegations and his decision to release the Fogarty letter. Given the
animosity among command staffers, an outside agency taking a look is the only
way we will get an unbiased determination on whether the chief acted
appropriately or not. And even if the Feds don’t come in, the seed is planted.
In addition, Tedesco is threatening to sue the city claiming his constitutional rights were violated by the city imposed gag order and for curtailing of his power and duties. I think everyone hoped Tedesco would just throw up his hands and retire, but obviously that’s not happening anytime soon.
All that may be true, but Rosamilia (pictured left) is well within his right
to appoint a police commissioner – yes there is some ambiguity about whether it
should be a police commissioner or public safety commissioner but the basic
premise is the same. The mayor wants his policies initiated and winning an
election gives him that right but the question remains: Who is driving the bus,
the mayor or the PBA.Tedesco’s attorney, Brian Premo (pictured right), has mastered the art of
getting at the underlying dirt - God knows, he had enough practice during voter
fraud and his representation of others like Rensselaer Chief Rick Fusco - and
he is asking a bunch of questions the PBA, the administration and the Council
would just not soon answer. Also, he and Tedesco are asking the FBI look into
the PBA’s allegations and his decision to release the Fogarty letter. Given the
animosity among command staffers, an outside agency taking a look is the only
way we will get an unbiased determination on whether the chief acted
appropriately or not. And even if the Feds don’t come in, the seed is planted.
The commenter also asks why the PBA is protecting Jones. I think
it would do the same if it was Officer Smith – obviously that’s not an
indictment of any Officer Smith but a way to say it could be anyone.
In the end, this is a high stakes poker game and the pot is
who gets to control the day-to-day operation of the Police Department – The PBA
or the chief.
Now that we have learned the PBA has been acting as an employer hiring off duty PBA members for private security jobs, hopefully the IRS will step and make sure these policeman have been paying their fair share of taxes.
ReplyDeleteThis should be public information........time for the PBA to come clean.
Whatever happened to the Ethics Committee? Weren't they supposed to meet monthly? And what about the Police Objective Review Committee, Jim...did you ask their thoughts on this?
ReplyDeleteI'd love to hear about this too! Funny thing is that Rev. Shaw is on BOTH the Ethics committee AND the Police Objective Review Committee. Hmmmm, I'd like to know how that came about because it seems to be a bit of a conflict of interest being on the two committee's like that at the same time. Oh I do love Troy and it's political appointments. Tsk, tsk and to think people don't see these things.
DeleteHeard they were thinking of hiring John Wright as the new commish if Tony retires --again!
ReplyDeleteFitzy has drained the PBA coffers on his lawsuit against the city, the chief, and the ex mayor. The city refuses to settle and the claim has gone from millions to just a couple thousand dollars. He promised the PBA a huge win and big raises in a new contract all Lou won and he got Magnetto in. So far the cops got nothing but disappointment. Well, some got to go to NYC for some holiday shopping and a meeting with real cops in the NYPD. Imagine how much that trip cost the city.
ReplyDeleteIts pretty pathetic to be living in a city where the Police Chief has to call in the FBI to investigate his own department due to personal vendetta's and attacks on his character. How embarrassing it must be for the professional men and women who work down there amongst what amounts to be a cat fight, and they say women are drama in the workplace? There is more drama down at TPD than there is at H.S. Cheerleading tryouts!
ReplyDeleteWho is driving the bus? Please these guys are bought and paid for. Lou by Fitzy and Pete by his inlaw Millington.
ReplyDeletePerhaps if they made Monica the commish everything would be perfect. She would look like she's actually doing something and the the chief would be allowed to do what he wanted and actually ran the departmt and ran it right because we know the less Monica has to do the better
ReplyDeletefunny stuff
DeleteI don't think so
Deletesure it is Walt. As funny as her job performance --go make a tee shirt
DeleteSounds like Bill is posting about Monica. Pete and Lou like her. They don't like Dunne.
ReplyDeleteformer councilman LaPosta ran the 5k Thanksgiving morning in 36:01. no sign of Franco or councilman M McGrath.. Must have been left in the dust.
ReplyDeleteI just delivered a fruitcake to my mommy
ReplyDeleteHey Brother --I heard Carmella was back at it at the BOE wanting the votes counted again. Yay! Carmella in 2015!!!! Keep throwing her out there and eventually, she'll stick to the wall
ReplyDeleteHow bout a new PBa prez? That would fix problems. Perhaps rabdall he knows a lot about jail or bobby cox he has a resume a mile long only heard half before vandenburgh told him to sit down like a dog and he did
ReplyDelete