Suffolk County police officers on Monday overwhelmingly ratified a new six-year contract that will raise the pay of officers with 15 years on the job to more than $200,000 a year by 2024. Eventually, one guy told the truth. And a bipartisan group of legislators announced they reached an agreementon Ban the Box legislation, which would restrict employers from asking about criminal histories in job applications. A sheet of paper in his office hangs above his desk with the number 62 on it, showing that Suffolk County ranks 62 out of 62 New York counties in fiscal stability. Mr. Burke was still a powerful police chief that year when Mr. Trotta decided to run for office. (Mr. Bellone argued that an arbitrator would have given them more.) Eye-popping a sum as that might seem, its par for the course in Suffolk County. One was driving a blue 2011-2013 Toyota Highlander and the other was driving a white 2019-2023 Dodge Ram truck. In either case, the county will have a hard time getting employees to pay more for an expense thats jumped more than 40 percent in six years. Language in the SCOPE deal requires the parties to find additional savings to prevent the deal from expiring in 2023 or 2024 instead of 2025, but the countys only recourse from runaway costs will be reducing expenses through binding arbitration or moving employees to the New York State Health Insurance Plan. Natalie Wright, of Central Islip, as economic development commissioner. Copyright 2023 Newsday. The deals were negotiated outside public view by County Executive Steve Bellonestandard practice for New York public employers. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. No union official has ever been charged. Tara Smith is a multimedia reporter who joined the Times Review Media Group in 2018, covering everything from local government and environmental issues to breaking news and features. Mr. Trotta was skeptical: What if a mentally ill person turns violent on a dime?. Unless legislators were presented with all four documents, they had no way of seeing what they were actually committing to. Theres no other feeling than knowing we have the love and support from our elected officials and students. That means the winners of the next two general elections for county legislature will already be committed to the terms. About 75%of county employees, excluding sworn law enforcement officers, are white, which is not reflective of the county population, Bellones office said. Thus far, police benevolent associations have operated outside those restrictions. All times are GMT-6. None were willing to publicly refuse to accept police union donations. Eventually, he said, it dawned on him: The county doesnt run the police. Retha Fernandez,project director for the State of Black Long Island Equity Council, will work todiversify the workforce, Bellone announced in December. Then he added one that made Mr. Trotta smile: Investigate the Long Island Law Enforcement Foundation. Police commissioners come and go. Please click here for access to Suffolk County Bonfire Portal: https://suffolkcountyny.bonfirehub.com/. Dr. Gregson Pigott, of Greenlawn,as health commissioner. He reminded them of Jimmy McNulty, the quirky detective from the TV show The Wire.. For all other offerings (Bids, RFQs, RFEIs, RFIs, Solicitation of Quotes): Please click here for access to Suffolk Countys Procurement Announcement System: https://dpw.suffolkcountyny.gov/rfp/Login.aspx, Copyright 2023, Suffolk County Government, Business Accommodations for Customers with Disabilities, https://dpw.suffolkcountyny.gov/rfp/Login.aspx. A lot of cops knew what kind of guy Mr. Burke was. He contends the payments were not voluntary, as required. 0000004340 00000 n We strive to keep Suffolk County a safe and thriving place to live and work by aiding our members in their vocation as Suffolk County Police Officers. There are 1,700 police officers in Suffolk County. The lengths of the deals are themselves problematic. The total cost of the contractwas not available Tuesday night. From what I understand only the cognitive ability portion of the exam allowed for unanswered questions. But legislators have not had the guts to get rid of the provision. Suffolk is an extreme version of the same problems that are elsewhere.. In Suffolk County, the police unions wield outsize influence. All rights reserved. We pay $30 to $40 million a year in overtime. In New York, many elected officials did just that. At his trial, witnesses described a union official coaching officers to lie to cover up Mr. Burkes crimes. Those contracts, however, were never filed with the state Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), as required by state regulations, nor were they posted on the county website. 0000001286 00000 n For one thing, its hard to know just what lawmakers were agreeing to, because the AME and PBA contracts were memorandums of agreement that modified existing deals. The top base salary will be$174,000 a year by 2024, up from $155,000, Gallagher said. That means they are not adverse to having a very important conversation about policing.. From breaking news to special features and documentaries, the NewsdayTV team is covering the issues that matter to you. Did anyone recieved their scores? The lengths of the deals are themselves problematic. Shes a Riverhead native and 2015 graduate of Arcadia University. In other news, both the PBA and AME will soon issue endorsements in upcoming races for county executive and county legislature. Some costs might be offset throughlinking salaries for detectives hired after 2012 to police officer salaries, according to budget review. He was convicted in 2019 and sentenced to a year in confinement. Just giving my best advice for anyone that will take it, Civil Service has removed the old eligible list from their websiteexpect the new one soon, They usually post it before Christmas. Yes. He pointed out his fellow county legislators on the screen and rattled off how much the police union had spent to help each one get elected. May 20, 2019 | Newsday Suffolk County police officers on Monday overwhelmingly ratified a new six-year contract that will raise the pay of officers with 15 years on the job to more than $200,000 a year by 2024 when overtime and benefits such as longevity are factored in. Privacy Policy |Terms of service |Subscription terms |Your ad choices |Cookie Settings |California Privacy Rights |About Us |Contact Newsday |Reprints & permissions |Advertise with Newsday |Help. because he didnt want them prying into his own misconduct. Mattituck, NY 11952, Site made in collaboration with CMYK I wonder if we can talk about creating an effort for a non-police response that could be as safe or safer, and maybe even cheaper, she told him in a conversation she later recounted to me. Even an officer who was criminally charged for falsifying time sheets walked away with a payout of $291,868. Theres some truth to that. Dennis Brown, of Huntington, will bedirector of the Real Property Tax Service Agency after serving as county attorney. We have to negotiate contracts or arbitrate them.. Half a dozen current and former elected officials in Suffolk County told me they vote their conscience, regardless of what the union gives. The Suffolk County Detectives Association contract will increase base salaries from $58.6 million total in 2019 to $65.7 million in 2024, county officials said. Thank you to Congressman Garbarino, Assemblyman Gandolfo and Students! The Suffolk County Office of Central Procurement oversees the Countys procurement processes. Mr. Trotta watched the rollout on Zoom at his office desk in Smithtown. But he stayed on the video call long enough to hear his new friend Tim Karcich, a 32-year-old Democratic Socialist from Centereach, rattle off a bunch of demands, from reducing the publics contact with police officers to establishing a reparations fund for police victims. On the other hand, maybe they hire lower scores. Emergency Housing Program, Suffolk County Department of Audict & Control, Registration of Nonprofit Veterans Organizations, A Performance Audit of Association for Mental Health and Wellness, Inc.'s Emergency Housing Services Program, A Performance Audit of Federal Forfeiture Funds, A Performance Audit of Single Audit Subrecipient Monitoring, Suffolk County District Attorneys Office, A Performance Audit of Adelante of Suffolk County, Inc. Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Program, A Performance Audit of Pathways to Recovery, Inc.s Emergency Housing Services Program, A Performance Audit of Pathways to Recovery, Inc.s Emergency Housing Services Program, A Performance Audit of the Sheriff's Office Forfeiture Funds, Suffolk County Department of Probation, Department of Social Services, and Youth Bureau. Who We Represent Susan Berland (D-Dix Hills) and Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst). . In many cases, reform plans are rolled out by the same politicians who once cozied up to police unions to get elected. This lottery was done in 2019 for people who took the Spanish speaking test in 2016 and scored an 85. The Suffolk County Legislature on Tuesday night, with the countys Association of Municipal Employees (AME) and Police Benevolent Association (PBA), which together represent more than half of the county workforce. Lawmakers voted to give health care workers discounted Green Key cards until April 2022. As far as I know, any village in Suffolk county will make you go through the academy again. Another superior officer left with $624,082, including unpaid vacation days and sick time. During the first half of the 20th century, police unions were rare, weak and lacked legal status, Aaron Bekemeyer, a Ph.D. student at Harvard who is writing his dissertation on the history of police unions, told me. Two of Albanys most-vetoed concepts are headed toward Governor Hochuls desk, this time concealed as a firefighter bill of rights.. I cant stress to you enough how afraid of the union these people are, he said of his fellow legislators. There might have been enough money, too, for the social workers the activists wanted. The County Legislature released a single-page analysis of top-line costs for each of the three deals, without providing a cost breakdown for specific provisions. Amongst his other reprehensible conduct, Legislator Trotta threatened the Suffolk County Police Commissioner with a secret recording he made. That leaves a lot of questions yet to to be answered. A member of the union sat on the reform task force. The officers who saw the beating were too afraid to talk. For years, the feds couldnt prove it. If a guy was known to live beyond his means, Mr. Trotta asked around about where the money came from. Mr. McCarthy told me that most police officers dont pay attention to the union and that some resent the insular group that runs it. GL. They lied like rugs, he told me. The six-year contract will provide detective investigators with annual raises totaling 11.25%, boosting county salary costs by $1.99 million through 2024, legislative budget analysts said. The Hochul Administration published a pair of documents concerning the Micron Megafab deal that raise more questions than they answer. James Burke escorted by F.B.I. Unlike the anticipated healthcare savings, the new costs from raises areguaranteedto materialize. Its the latest example of misconduct made possible under New Yorks public-sector collective bargaining rules that force the government to collect hundreds of millions of dollars annually without any safeguards on how the funds are spent. Empire Center for Public Policy Unlike the anticipated healthcare savings, the new costs from raises are guaranteed to materialize. The County negotiated a six-year agreement with the Suffolk County PBA that would result in the lowest level of raises for Police Officers in decades. Working weekly. Everyone should be able to breathe freely in their own home.. Something changed last summer, after George Floyds death. National Police Week: Event Link. Looking to comment on this article? Really curious how the scores will play out on this exam compared to others, Copyright 1996-2021, Officer Media Group, Endeavor Business Media - Public Safety Interactive. To be honest with you, Mr. Gaughran told me, it was very effective in generating volunteers.. Legislators approved an emergency resolution to restore $25 million to a sewer stabilization fund. just got their return.. But it didnt shock the loved ones of Kenny Lazo, a Black man who got pulled over by Suffolk County officers in 2008 and wound up beaten to death in a case the medical examiner ruled a homicide. General Inquiries: Info@EmpireCenter.org There are currently 34310 users online. In the 1950s and 1960s, police unionists managed to convince a large part of the American public that their own safety depended on a strong police union. But the union kept collecting special assessments of $1 a day from officers, which eventually funded the super PAC they established, the Long Island Law Enforcement Foundation. 31-2022 Change in Mental Health Providers, Annual Notice of Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998, AEM 25-2021 EMHP - Important Changes Regarding Infusion Site of Care, AEM 23-2021 EMHP 24/7 NurseLine & Sydney Health App, AEM 05-2021 Extended Weekly Schedule for Drive-Through Rapid testing.pd, SPECIALIST CO-PAYMENTS AND OUT-OF-NETWORK DEDUCTIBLE FOR MEDICAL/SURGICAL BENEFITS, IN-NETWORK PROVIDERS UTILIZING OUT-OF-NETWORK LABS, HEALTH BENEFITS ANNUAL OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD October 15. Dec. 12, 2019| NewsdayHigh-ranking Suffolk County policeare set to get 11.25% raises over six years under a tentative $53 million deal reached with the Superior Officers Association, officials said Wednesday.Sergeants, lieutenants, captains and other senior officersat top step would have base salaries ranging from $183,000 to$273,000 a year by 2024, officials said. And being that Im already LE, which villages dont require you to go through the academy again? The deals were negotiated outside public view by County Executive Steve Bellonestandard practicefor New York public employers. The root of the evil is the money.. Brownwill be paid $145,560 in the new role, down from $173,226. For the first time, Suffolk County employees will contribute toward their health care plan under a new agreement reached with County Executive Steve Bellone last week. The activists found his suggestions absurd. Department of Human Resources, Personnel and Civil Service, https://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Civil-Service, If this is your first visit be sure to check out the frequently asked questions by clicking here. All rights reserved. This is a good thing, he said, gesturing at the meeting on his screen. Those contracts, however, were never filed with the state Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), as required by state regulations, nor were they posted on the county website. Ms. Kaufman thought Mr. Trotta might support the plan. Other unions didnt get that. But what really stands out about Suffolk County is the compensation that police officers receive and the money their unions spend on local elections. Emergency Housing Services Program, A Performance Audit of The Suffolk County STOP-DWI Program, Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning, A Limited Scope Audit of the Surplus County-Owned Real Estate Auction Held on October 22 & 23, 2019, Suffolk County Department of Public Works, Suffolk County Department of Public Works Capital Projects, Suffolk County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, A Performance Audit of the Administration of Sweet Hills Stables, Inc. License Agreement, A Performance Audit of Small Scale Construction Bids, A Compilation and Analysis of Contract Agency Disclosure Form Data, Suffolk County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation, A Performance Audit of the Administration of Requests for Proposals and Awarding of License Agreements, A Performance Audit of the Probation Departments Forfeiture Funds, A Performance Audit of the Administration of License Agreements, A Performance Audit of The Sheriff Offices Forfeiture Funds, An Audit of the Suffolk County Sheriff Offices Civil Bureau. He was a Republican who had predicted in a radio interview that police reform wouldnt amount to much. Before he was appointed chief, members of the police force wrote an anonymous letter to Mr. Bellone warning him that Mr. Burke was known to frequent prostitutes, interfered with an officer-assault investigation and used information obtained from a wiretap as leverage against a politician. Fiscal conservatives and liberal activists both want to curb the power of police unions in Suffolk County. According to a financial impact statement released from the county executives office Monday, the deal could cost $192 million for both unions and result in $195 million in savings. Under the agreement, county employees will pay 2% of their salaries toward health coverage, which will increase incrementally until reaching 2.5%, county officials said. P.O. With the legislatures vote Tuesday to approve the detective investigators contract, all the countys nine bargaining units have contracts that will expire at the end of 2024. His new job? He touts a new district attorney who set up a conviction integrity bureau to investigate wrongful convictions. He said some elected officials visibly stiffened when police union representatives walked into county meetings. For one thing, its hard to know just what lawmakers were agreeing to, because the AME and PBA contracts were memorandums of agreement that modified existing deals. Other politicians, particularly those allied with Mr. Bellone, call Mr. Trotta a toxic character, a bomb-thrower, a hypocrite or a loon. That means the winners of the next two general elections for county legislature will already be committed to the terms. After he won, they got their expressway back, along with a new contract. Excellent work by Highway Patrol Officers Bunger and Siesto, Fifth Precinct Officer Reyes, & Highway Patrol Sergeant Carey who, over the weekend, responded to a call for a woman in labor on the shoulder of the LIE. Historically, in Suffolk County, you cant win a major office without the police unions endorsement, said Gus Garcia-Roberts, a journalist with The Washington Post who is writing a book about Mr. Burke. But momentum for change is building, as both fiscal conservatives and liberal activists take aim at the outsize political power of police unions. The justification for this sweetheart deal for the police and firefighters is that they are so essential to safety that communities cant risk a strike. My program includes push ups and sit ups every class and tons of upper body strength training. Theyre still processing candidates on the old lists for upcoming class. Suffolk County Probation Officers Association, Sufollk County Detective Investigator's PBA, National Association of Police Organizations. Police Officers will receive average raises of 1.875% per year over the term of the contract. 0000005769 00000 n At Suffolk County's widest point the distance from the Long Island Sound to the Southern shore is only 26 miles. United For Justice In Policing Long Island, VisionMissionGuidingPrinciples Our HistoryThe Problem, In The NewsAnnouncementsEvents / RalliesFood For ThoughtDid You KnowPolling. Click the graphic above for the full interview. Corruption continues to cast a particularly dark shadow over Suffolk County. Detectives willreach that top step sooner, according toBudget Review'sreport. Steve Bellone, the Suffolk County executive who appointed Mr. Burke, says he was fooled by Mr. Burke and Mr. Spota and turned against them when he discovered their criminal enterprise. He vows that a new day has dawned. Legis. Bellone administration officials said the county ended up not needing the money. We highlight PBA members' work; we recognize their heroic actions, and we educate the public regarding the sacrifices police officers make each day. Also Tuesday, the legislature approved several key appointments, including: The legislature also approved the creation of a chief diversity officer for the first time. 0000001377 00000 n The new police chief, Mr. Burke, had reassigned all three Suffolk County detectives who had been working with the F.B.I., including two who were working on a major gang case. Gerard McCarthy, who recently retired as chief of operations for the Suffolk County Police Department, lauded Mr. Trotta for being the sole person willing to raise the issue of the police unions political donations. 0000007066 00000 n Emergency Housing Services Program, A Performance Audit of Never Alone Never Afraid, Inc. As hated as Mr. Trotta is among the political establishment, many of his former colleagues respect him. Kathy Hochul fails to tie NY lawmaker raises to tougher bail law: sources, Man arrested for baseball bat attack on NYC sidewalk quickly released on bail, Ill-conceived bail reform laws have plunged New York into a state of chaos, Hochul ignored my bail reform pleas, police chief says in wake of Keaira Bennefield slay, Hochul defends bail reform, Zeldin talks up working with Dems at TV forum, Nassau PBA backs Zeldin as he repeats call for crime emergency to nix bail reform, Students and staff across the county wore blue to honor fallen officers Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora, Police Making A Difference In Our Schools, PBA Responds to Newsday Supporting Corrupt Legislator Rob trotta, Protect Yourself from Under Insured Motorists, Updated Department Face Covering/Vaccination Policy 8/12/21, 05-2021 Extended Weekly Schedule for Drive-Through Rapid testing.pd, New Yorks discovery laws are DESIGNED to let criminals go free. In other news, both the PBA and AME will soon issue endorsements in upcoming races for county executive and county legislature. In the 1960s, a series of debilitating public sector strikes across New York persuaded lawmakers to pass the Taylor Law, which outlawed strikes but granted access to a labor-friendly board that resolved disputes. The total cash compensation, which includes bonus, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $60,181 to $70,139 with the average total cash compensation of $64,407. Robert Trotta (R-Fort Salonga), who abstained on Tuesday'svote along with Legis. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney's press office, CENTRAL ISLIP WOMAN SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDER, MANHATTAN MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO STEALING MONEY FROM TWO VICTIMS IN ELDER SCAM, COMMACK WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO EMBEZZLING MORE THAN $250K FROM SUMMER CAMP, BABYLON MAN SENTENCED TO 16 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY, Alleged Bloods Gang Member Floyd McNeil Was Out on Bail on an Attempted Murder Charge When He Was Caught with a Loaded and Defaced Firearm, District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced the retirement of Mega, Dionicio Calderon Faces Up To 75 Years to Life in Prison, District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the indictment of Jaquan Casserly, 34, of Holbrook, who is accused of selling fentanyl, District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that Michael Gonzalez of Brentwood was sentenced to 7 years in prison, QUARTERMASTER SECTION CLOSURE AND PROMOTION PROCEDURE 3.3.23, ANTICIPATED POLICE OFFICER VACANCY-PROPERTY SECTION 3.3.23, ANTICIPATED POLICE OFFICER VACANCY-IMPOUND SECTION 3.3.23, PROPERTY-EVIDENCE ROOM MANAGEMENT COURSE 3.3.23, BODY-WORN CAMERA END USER COURSE AND INVESTIGATOR-SUPERVISOR COURSE 3.3.23, IN CAR VIDEO CAMERA-ALPR LIVE DATE-FIRST, FOURTH, FIFTH PRECINCT 3.3.23, SENIOR OFFICE ASSISTANT VACANCY-APPLICANT INVESTIGATION SECTION 3.3.23, BODY-WORN CAMERA LIVE DATE-THIRD PRECINCT 3.3.23, DEPARTMENT RECOGNITIONS-FEBRUARY 2023 3.3.23.