Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Some possible scenarios at the Troy Police Department (UPDATED)

TEDESCO

In a sixth letter to those embroiled in the latest controversy involving the Troy Police Department, Chief John Tedesco is asking for the city’s Ethics Commission take a peek at what has transpired over the last few months.

He is also asking, in the letter written by his attorney Brian Premo, that the Council subpoena all Internal Affairs records related to the investigation into the chief and I assume what kicked off the latest controversy, the chief’s decision to release the IA findings about an officer accused of using excessive force.

Two things come to mind: I’m not sure if the Ethics Commission even exists any longer and I’d love to see the IA records but I don’t think they are public information.

MAGNETTO
Anyway, a bit of obligatory background: The Council, at the administration’s request, appointed Anthony Magnetto (pictured right) as police commissioner to appease the Police Benevolent Association; Magnetto rolled back some of the chief’s efforts to make the department more efficient; Tedesco is left out of day-to-day decision; Officer Kyle Jones arrests Frank Fogarty for fighting on Broadway and arrests his wife for resisting arrest; Fogarty files a complaint alleging Jones used excessive force; IA Capt. Terry Buchanan conducts an investigation and finds that Fogarty did use excessive force; Tedesco releases the letter confirming the findings to Fogarty; the PBA files a complaint against Tedesco and he is interviewed by the IA and Deputy Chief Robert McAvoy; Tedesco retains Premo, who goes on an aggressive offensive; the FBI shows up and confiscates a number of IA files.

Things are kind of in flux now, but it sounds like a mess that could easily spin out of more control or it could slide into oblivion. I will address the “spin out of control” scenarios fist:

-Every indication is Magnetto will step down early next year and a sure way to perpetuate the mess is for the city to appoint another police commissioner. Not only will it further infuriate the chief and likely force him to follow through with his threat of a lawsuit but, as Premo pointed out in his letters and I wrote a while back, the police commissioner really has no power.

-Jones, as Premo said indicates is a possibility in his letter, comes forward and tells people that he had no knowledge of the complaint filed against Tedesco but instead it was the PBA.

-The IA investigation into the chief continues and ends with some sort of punishment or reprimand. I routinely talk to people who have been around a lot longer than I and to have underlings investigate the chief rather than the mayor or an independent body is unprecedented.

-The Council does attempt to investigate on their own, forcing the PBA or the administration to dig in its heels. Council President Rodney Wiltshire, appearing on Talk 1300, said he isn’t going to jump into the fray with both feet right off the bat. Rather, he said, he would allow the yet to be named Public Safety Committee to explore the Council’s options first. A wise move, but that was a few days ago. The Council, however, is hardly a cohesive body so you never know.

-The PBA continue to flex its political muscle and mucks everything up.

-The FBI digs conducts a thorough investigation and uncovers who knows what.

Some scenarios that could help put the entire issue to bed:

-Tedesco, while on Talk 1300, indicated he just wants his old job back along with the responsibilities so giving it to him is one way to diffuse the situation. When it comes down to it, the mayor is the chief executive officer, and that means he can tell the chief to do whatever he wants done. If the chief refuses, despite Civil Service protection, the mayor can terminate for insubordination. The position of police commissioner is really a $30,000 unnecessary buffer.

-The chief does not follow through with filing the threatened lawsuit because it could throw a bunch of people under the bus.

-The command staff accepts the fact the chief is the chief and lets him do his job.

-The PBA accepts political defeat and just goes about the businesses of arresting bad guys.

-Jones accepts the IA’s determination and takes whatever punishment is doled out. (Based on some comments there seem to be some confusion about Jones. Yes, the IA letter said the investigation was complete and he did use excessive force but the PBA maintains he had not exhausted all his appeal possibilities so the matter is not yet resolved.)

-The city settles with Fogarty.

My educated guess is a mix of the above scenarios come to fruition and I’m honestly curious on how it all plays out.

57 comments:

  1. Magnetto has taken a job at RPI to begin very soon. Buchanan is rumored to have put in his retirement papers(he is leery of the FBI investigation). Fitzie, Millington and the union minions have buried their heads in the sand.
    Stay tuned all hell is about to break lose and when it settles the Chief will be on top.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Somebody got some splainin to do

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jim,
    I know you are no longer a real reporter, but could you at least try to be impartial?

    ReplyDelete
  4. FOGARTY USED EXCESSIVE FORCE AS YOU SAID IN YOUR POST, SO ITS A MUTE POINT.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The chief wins out in the long run just like he should. Buchanan files his papers to retire. PBA finds out it has been used. Two guys take the fall for the fiasco. Lou finally realizes that he needs to hire smart people instead of friends.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'd prefer the FBI stays in and uncovers everything no matter what it might be or who goes under the bus. Then we can move on with a clean slate and that is really the only thing that is going to solve this issue.

    ReplyDelete
  7. News bulletin. High top Sheeran was seen wearing crocs today. Rumors are he is rebranding himself king crocs of code maybe he will get lifetime supply of crocs for Christmas and toss the high tops for life coupon he won in 1985

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i hope he trims and paints his nails

      Delete
    2. they werent crocs they were berkenstocks.

      Delete
    3. is his toe hair salt and pepper too...so dreamy

      Delete
    4. gonna miss the hightops. What color are the crocs. Is crawly ok with this?

      Delete
    5. Custom crocs. They are still Hightop and from what I hear they are white and shiny.

      Delete
    6. Bobby cox has an extra pair of crocs from Florida he will give to dave. He just wants a friend

      Delete
  8. Went to sliders all american fare to get a burger today. It wasn't open. Hopefully the snack shak will be open soon. I love when bobby serves me a hotdog

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No way. Why did city do to keep them. Was Monica dispatched?

      Delete
    2. The city did nothing, the Hot Spot was all the rave and not a single person backed up Sliders.

      Delete
    3. It would make a nice place for an any day Farmers Market --not that she has ANYTHING to do with it anymore?????? Ain't that right?? No conflict?

      Delete
  9. My favorite food establishment in my favorite neighborhood. Why why why

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jim, that sounds like a lot of bias against the police union. At least try to let your readers make up their own minds. I guess you couldn't use this lack of being impartial when you had a job at a news paper.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My readers do make up their own mind. That's what I like about them. And what wrote here about the PBA is nothing I haven't written over the past decade or so.

      Delete
    2. The police union is not the problem. The officers deserve fair and loyal representation. What we have is a PBA president and vice president who have taken control of a weak willed mayor and deputy mayor. The PBA president is suing the city with PBA funds to the tune of $300,000 (our dues), and the suit is so unwinnable even his puppets in the administration won't settle. Then Fitzy brings back a 2-0-0-0 from 2011? Officer Jones took some bad advice, instead of a reprimand or suspension the FBI will probably push for termination and possible civil rights charges. Can't wait for Rodney to look into this, probably by email.

      Delete
    3. Officer Jones should be terminated, its not the first time he has been in hot water because he got heavy handed. Next time he could be your partner and you go down with him, think about it.
      If you want fair and loyal representation, you and your fellow officers might want to elect a President who doesn't play political games. He's costing you money, the city money and for what? Its his personal beefs getting in the way of your contract and your money. Can't wait for Rodney to look into this myself, especially can't wait to see the email to get leaked.

      Delete
  11. Lou will be a one term mayor over this Jim. Love the article and the show.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Funny how when the heat gets turned up in the Troy PD people start to retire. Still wondering why Chief Kaiser left so quickly.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Streets impassable lousy plowing job and Deputy Mayor Ryan says they are going to meet later this week and come up with a plan. Where the hell is the Mayor Lou!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Missin my bullet proof vest.......anyone seen it!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Nice of loushbag to treat the incoming council to dinner last night. Was there a party in city hall for the employees for Christmas? Harry did. Did Lou?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. so nice of harry to fund food and drinks out of his own pocket. Oh wait.

      Delete
    2. The man does not respect his employees. Look around city floor. Workers are unhappy. Wear jeans and t shirts Used to dress fancy for harry when morale was up.

      Delete
    3. Fancy??? How about the employee that used to wear tank tops and get washed up at the ladies room sink 2 days a week?

      Delete
  16. Please Lou doesn't care about his employees even though they fix the problems he create and by doing there jobs makes him look halfway good to the public. Let's buy the city council will lavish dinners on the golf course while the little man gets smile Friday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cares about himself and apparently the council. He's a wade man yet has doughnut queen rabbit pass drowdz rabbit girlfriend working there. Does Lou put it together. Does wade know. She don't need doughnuts

      Delete
  17. AnonymousDecember 17, 2013 at 6:14 PM
    Are you saying rodney isn't black he's a Canadian. I thought with his baby blue eyes and cabbage patch face he was gender reassigned. Oh well

    ReplyDelete
  18. Old man Lou ghost of Christmas past he's as useless as duncan crary. Figurehead only not leader

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Duncan crary needs to get a life. Do something worth while man

      Delete
  19. Whats up with old man Lou's wife. Look your not the First Lady of troy. Nice dress did u wear that to Lincoln's funeral? I'm the First Lady of troy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just Seen the Christmas dinner photo from park pub. Where is Sullivan Teta. She owes me a new kitchen table and front door

      Delete
  20. Lou and Peg are ecstatic over the new council, now there are others more inept than even he is. Loushbag Ryan will stick to the same fodder as he says I'll work with you and then screws you. Charles Cox, care to weigh in ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rasputin Mark McGrath was in Ryan's Ear every time I showed up he was either going in after I left or was leaving Before I went in Funny it did not hit me til much later.
      I now see the pattern Ryan was just pumping me for Info its all a game to them.
      My last Visit I finally figured what was going on and I realized then The Dems And The Repubs at this time are from the same cloth and talk to each other and take notes on how to stay in Power.
      Harry and the bunglers and his fellow felons screwed many of the investors coming in.
      Ryan and Lou just covered Harry's Tracks so the City Would not get sued you see the facts are that they don't care who got screwed they were told to Protect the Money and the funny thing its not there money its ours.
      Moral of this Story just like the senerio going on up at Stewarts on 112th Street Its all about whats this guy they call the City Engineer he is a hit man and if Stewarts dont tow the line Russ will jerk there chain and if that don't work They will get the Troy Record to spin the story so that Stewart's is the bad guy and Russ and the Code Nazis are the good guys.
      Its worked for Harry's felons so it will work for Lou and Ryan who now hold the stick.

      Delete
    2. Robert the only person convicted of a felony during Harry's term was your brother Jack! Is that who you are referring too!

      Delete
    3. Ok Robert --and the point is?

      Delete
    4. What doesn't this guy get. It's you. Not harry not Pete not repubs not dems. Not Vito not Murphy not McGrath not Sheeran. They all have a vested interest in keeping the city a prosperous place and placing another junk property in the burgh that not you but your brother wants to open is not moving this city in the right direction. How many times does jack cox have to tell people you don't represent them will it take for you to move away. Get it thru your head it's you people not the city. No one would want another junk cox property next to them. Look at river street the tibbits ave junk house 119 th all cox junk properties. Get over it deal with it and move back to where u came from. Troy don't need you or want you and your fake job history

      Delete
    5. Anonymous Chicken Shi$
      See How You Are

      OH I am going on Franco's Blog and Blog Anonymous I am a Real Tough Guy

      Delete
  21. Ding dong Fitzy is done. Another shady officer that abruptly retires when the heat gets turned up. People know his role in filing a complaint in Jones' name without Jones' knowledge. Feds looking into that and other Fitzy doings. Bye bye Fester. Remember, you can run but you can't hide from the law.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The FBI has over 150 Complaints Filed from people in Troy NY 12180 where do you want to start A to Z ??

      Delete
    2. And they also have a file on some nutbag who has sent more than 150 psychotic e-mails to Gov Cuomo. Not to mention the calls and e-mails to Tonko's office. And the hits just keep on coming. Keep on rollin Bobby and you'll have the need for lipstick at some point soon.

      Delete
    3. The troy pd has been tipped off too heard they are making a move in the next couple if days on a harrassment complaint. Hope the coco is hot Christmas Day in the slammer

      Delete
    4. Vito can give it but he can't take what a PIG

      Delete
  22. Interesting article in the Record today as PBA prez Fitzgerald announces his retirement. Interesting because just 10 days ago the FBI swooped down on TPD. When I asked a high ranking police official who they were looking at he said "we'll know when we see who's about to retire, suddenly". I guess we have an answer.

    ReplyDelete
  23. It's 8:35 in city hall no doughnut girl yet!

    ReplyDelete
  24. It's 8:50 she has arrived.......doughnuts for everyone! Taxpayers lose the first half hour of the day.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Buchanan.....Fitzie......who 's next Millington. Tough hardend cops runnin for cover. The house of cards is collapsing.

    ReplyDelete
  26. FLASH: GOOD NEWS THE INSANITY WILL CONTINUE
    John Reigert is interviewing for Police Commissioner.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Breaking update live from city hall. Battle that looks like the cast of twins fighting over a bologna sandwhich Who will win. We will check in later with hightops

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Prediction Dave wont retire from Troy City Hall he is tainted by Harry and Sondra.

      Delete
    2. Taint and dave in the same sentence?

      Delete