Updates from NYSTPBA President Tom Mungeer 08/13/2021
Excerpts from NYSTPBA Newsletter. (For full newsletter click on attached file) Updates from NYSTPBA President Tom Mungeer Governor Kathy Hochul Tuesday’s news of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation was the culmination of a tumultuous seven days following months of anticipation and speculation. Once again, the Division of State Police was thrust into the spotlight by the politicization of our job by a sitting governor. The NYSTPBA issued the following press release in response to the news: While the NYSTPBA will not comment on the outgoing governor’s self-serving resignation speech, we commend our Trooper for having the courage to come forward and reveal the sexual harassment that she endured. We are looking forward to working with incoming Gov. Kathy Hochul. We are confident that she will provide the leadership and values that we expect from a chief executive. As always, the men and women who have proudly earned the title of New York State Trooper will continue to serve the people of the state of New York, free from politics. I personally spoke with incoming Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday and reiterated to her our confidence in her leadership while also imparting our belief that political interference should never happen again. The incoming governor is a strong supporter of law enforcement and the State Troopers, as evidenced by her continued appearance at our Academy graduation ceremonies and the annual State of New York Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Services. I look forward to working with our new governor and starting a new chapter in our relationship with the governor’s office. Discipline Record Release Lawsuit The NYSTPBA Board has approved a lawsuit to be filed in New York State Supreme Court seeking a declaratory judgment and injunction following the Division’s actions on releasing members’ personnel records, including unsubstantiated and unfounded personnel complaints. Previously, the Division followed the dictates of the state agency tasked with setting policy in releasing records under FOIL. The Committee on Open Government has steadfastly refused to allow the publication of unfounded and unsubstantiated records as it was considered a breach of the right to privacy. Somehow, somewhere, Division has been instructed to release the records against the instructions of the Committee on Open Government. Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigations Lawsuit Another lawsuit has been approved by the NYSTPBA Board seeking declaratory relief as well as an injunction against the Attorney General’s Office on her over-broad interpretation allowing her to investigate any death involving a police officer, whether on or off-duty. Apparently, she thinks that any person who holds the title of police officer places himself or herself in a lower class of individuals that does not have the Constitutional Equal Protections like any other American, including criminals. Thus, any person with the title of police officer shall be the subject of her goon squad investigation of a death even if it occurs during an off-duty car accident where no police action was taken, and the officer is the victim. National Association of Police Officers (NAPO) - Police Reform Negotiations Continue Senators Tim Scott and Cory Booker continue to meet to negotiate language to go with their agreed upon framework for police reform before the August recess next week. Senator Scott continues to hold a hard line against touching qualified immunity and continues to press other negotiators and members of Congress to preserve this legal protection for officers. NAPO is also doing everything it can to safeguard the individual rights of officers. In addition to qualified immunity, they are also working to protect and safeguard the individual rights of officers such as due process. NYSTPBA in the News https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/statement-from-new-york-state-troopers-police-benevolent-association-president-on-cuomo-resignation/ https://nypost.com/2021/08/10/cuomo-accusers-vindicated-and-relieved-amid-resignation/ Chicago I see that there is a growing chorus of individuals who are stating that they do not have confidence in Chicago Police Chief David O. Brown to lead that agency anymore. I say, let’s give him a chance. Anybody who has the balls to issue an order to detonate a robot-delivered bomb that killed a sniper who had slain five Dallas police officers in 2016, deserves more time. Just saying.
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The Police Benevolent Association of the New York State Troopers 120 State St. Albany, New York 12207 (518) 462-7448 http://www.nystpba.org
Updates from NYSTPBA President Tom Mungeer - 08-13-2021
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