Post by zzzz on Feb 13, 2014 17:44:55 GMT -5
Former Nassau top cop to get $58G in termination pay
February 13, 2014 BY CELESTE HADRICK
Former Nassau Police Commissioner Thomas Dale, who was forced to resign in December after an investigation into "politically motivated policing," will receive about $58,000 in termination pay, according to the county comptroller's office.
The former commissioner will be paid for 61 vacation days and 25 sick days unused during his less than two years on the job, with the first of three payments of $19,336,90 issued in January, according to records.
Dale, 64, who was hired in January 2012, was able to earn more days than new employees because he was credited with 40 years on the New York City police force, a comptroller's spokesman said.
More on Newsday: Search police, fire pensions | Nassau DA Kathleen Rice report on investigation into 'politically motivated policing' allegations
A police union leader and a Democratic legislator critical of Dale's policies Thursday criticized the payout.
Police Benevolent Association president James Carver said, "Under the conditions that he left, where he disgraced the department, it's unbelievable that he was able to collect that money and was not fined one single day. It goes to show there are two separate rules for bosses and police officers, which is why we support binding arbitration for police officers."
Legis. Carrié Solages (D-Elmont), who was critical of Dale's decision to merge the busy Fifth Precinct in Elmont with the Fourth Precinct in Hewlett, said, "This is very unfair to the everyday police officers in Nassau County who are stuck on a low pay scale because of the wage freeze to have this individual leave with such high termination pay."
Solages was referring to a three-year wage freeze imposed by the county's financial control board in 2011 that has kept the pay of some new officers at $34,000 a year and others at under $80,000.
"We don't know if there is an ongoing investigation," Solages added. "There are alot of unanswered questions. To give this person termination pay without there being a final determination pushes aside our obligation to find out the truth."
February 13, 2014 BY CELESTE HADRICK
Former Nassau Police Commissioner Thomas Dale, who was forced to resign in December after an investigation into "politically motivated policing," will receive about $58,000 in termination pay, according to the county comptroller's office.
The former commissioner will be paid for 61 vacation days and 25 sick days unused during his less than two years on the job, with the first of three payments of $19,336,90 issued in January, according to records.
Dale, 64, who was hired in January 2012, was able to earn more days than new employees because he was credited with 40 years on the New York City police force, a comptroller's spokesman said.
More on Newsday: Search police, fire pensions | Nassau DA Kathleen Rice report on investigation into 'politically motivated policing' allegations
A police union leader and a Democratic legislator critical of Dale's policies Thursday criticized the payout.
Police Benevolent Association president James Carver said, "Under the conditions that he left, where he disgraced the department, it's unbelievable that he was able to collect that money and was not fined one single day. It goes to show there are two separate rules for bosses and police officers, which is why we support binding arbitration for police officers."
Legis. Carrié Solages (D-Elmont), who was critical of Dale's decision to merge the busy Fifth Precinct in Elmont with the Fourth Precinct in Hewlett, said, "This is very unfair to the everyday police officers in Nassau County who are stuck on a low pay scale because of the wage freeze to have this individual leave with such high termination pay."
Solages was referring to a three-year wage freeze imposed by the county's financial control board in 2011 that has kept the pay of some new officers at $34,000 a year and others at under $80,000.
"We don't know if there is an ongoing investigation," Solages added. "There are alot of unanswered questions. To give this person termination pay without there being a final determination pushes aside our obligation to find out the truth."
