Jun 2017 - Aug 20181 year 3 months. Amongst his other reprehensible conduct, Legislator Trotta threatened the Suffolk County Police Commissioner with a secret recording he made. On August 4, 2012, a new police contract restored responsibility for patrolling the LIE and Sunrise Highway to the SCPD. The ads backfired. 0000005769 00000 n The Empire Center is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think tank located in Albany, New York. Lawmakers voted to give health care workers discounted Green Key cards until April 2022. To return to this "Collective Bargaining Agreements" page from any selected link, use the back button on your browser. Ms. Stockman is a member of the editorial board. 31st Annual Candlelight Vigil - 8 PM on May 13th at the National Mall between 4th and 7th Streets, NW. He contends the payments were not voluntary, as required. All times are GMT-6. It has not only a PAC, but also a super PAC that spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on local elections. That produces an immediate reduction in costs for the county, but still leaves taxpayers absorbing future cost increases. Suffolk County Legislature Evans K. Griffing Building 300 Center Drive Riverhead, New York 11901 Phone: 631-852-1700 Fax: 631-852-1707 Directions Other politicians, particularly those allied with Mr. Bellone, call Mr. Trotta a toxic character, a bomb-thrower, a hypocrite or a loon. 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. The Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association would like to congratulate our 2019-2020 Retirees; Changes To NYS Concealed Carry Law . There are currently 34310 users online. 41 18 Additional provisions of the contract include: Phone: 631-853-5040 Email: douglas.sutherland@suffolkcountyny.gov, H. Lee Dennison Building 100 Veterans Memorial Highway Hauppauge, NY 11788, Douglas Sutherland Thank you toLegislator Caracappa for rebuking bully Legislator Rob Trotta who has repeatedly made fraudulent claims against the men and women of the Suffolk PBA. 0000000016 00000 n On November 20, 2012, the Highway Patrol Bureau resumed patrolling and answering all 911 calls for service . New York City schools reopened this fall under terms dictated by the city's teacher and principal unions. Mr. Trottas crusade against police unions grew out of his personal hatred for James Burke, his former boss. Then another. In 2008, when the county executive tried to cut costs by having the sheriffs department patrol the Long Island Expressway instead of the police, who earned more, about 2,000 police officers and their relatives joined a local political party to try to oust the sheriff. The Suffolk County Legislature approved a new police detectives contract Tuesday that will cost the county an additional $40 million while giving 11.25% raises over six years. Giving a paramilitary force the right to collective bargaining would undermine the military chain of command, they argued. GL. In June 2019, while in office, the prior presiding officer of the Suffolk Co. legislature claimed that he was threatened by corrupt individuals, that he spoke with the FBI about corruption in Suffolk Co. and that the FBI acknowledged it. Legis. Unless legislators were presented with all four documents, they had no way of seeing what they were actually committing to. That case revealed a stunning indifference on the part of police officers. 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. Wow this scared me for a second. What scores do they usually go for? The money was taken from the sewer fund by voter referendum last year to fill shortfalls in the county's general fund. 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. Police commissioners come and go. Ms. Kaufman thought Mr. Trotta might support the plan. That scandal, which led to the conviction of the powerful district attorney, Thomas Spota, who was scheduled to be sentenced this month, and the head of his anti-corruption unit underscored how easy it can be for cops and politicians to get in bed together and turn law enforcement into a system of political favors and personal vengeance. But they talked to him for three hours anyway. Eventually, he said, it dawned on him: The county doesnt run the police. Then another. Contract Search OFFICE OF CENTRAL PROCUREMENT 335 Yaphank Ave, Yaphank, NY 11980 Phone: 631-852-5196 Fax: 631-852-5221 Contract Search Please select either a Contract Number or Commodity Category or enter a Commodity Phrase* or select a Vendor: Robert Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) abstaining. P.O. The police union spoke out against the bill. Copyright 2023 Newsday. Anyone hear the same? Eye-popping a sum as that might seem, its par for the course in Suffolk County. Working weekly. One was driving a blue 2011-2013 Toyota Highlander and the other was driving a white 2019-2023 Dodge Ram truck. 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. For years, the feds couldnt prove it. in my experience, Suffolk civil service moves a lot faster than Nassau, so hopefully before the year ends. The AME contract runs through December 2024 and the PBA and SCOPE deals run through December 2025. Lawmakers in Albany worked up the courage to repeal 50-a, a state statute that prohibited the release of police officers personnel records. Allies of Mr. Bellone say he is rude, hypocritical and prone to exaggeration. Mr. Trotta watched the rollout on Zoom at his office desk in Smithtown. The Suffolk County Legislature on Tuesday night ratified* new contracts with the countys Association of Municipal Employees (AME) and Police Benevolent Association (PBA), which together represent more than half of the county workforce. SCPBA 2nd Vice President Lou Civello responds to @NewsdayOpinion Targeting the Suffolk PBA and their support of Corrupt Legislator Legislator Rob Trotta. The cards allow residents access to county parks and reduced fees for park activities. Railing about the influence of the police union in Suffolk County is like railing against the moon in the sky. In 2019, when a local paper asked Mr. Trotta what he had accomplished as a legislator, he replied: The chief of police went to jail and the district attorney has been indicted. from the Suffolk County Park Police Department pursuant to the September 30, 2014 memorandum 0000006404 00000 n We will prob hear late November/December hopefully! Then he added one that made Mr. Trotta smile: Investigate the Long Island Law Enforcement Foundation. Can they do it? In many cases, reform plans are rolled out by the same politicians who once cozied up to police unions to get elected. Police Officers will receive average raises of 1.875% per year over the term of the contract. Chief Deputy County AttorneyLynne Bizzarro will become acting county attorney. trailer <]/Prev 215076>> startxref 0 %%EOF 58 0 obj <>stream 852-4211. We could have done the parks.. All rights reserved. The police run the county., Less than a year after he was appointed police chief, Mr. Burke beat up a heroin addict who had stolen a duffle bag full of sex toys out of his SUV. State law forbids the police from soliciting political donations from the public. Previously, there was a second tier of top pay that Mr. Kaiman said likely would not have made it through arbitration. Other unions didnt get that. 0000001377 00000 n . Emergency Housing Services Program, A Performance Audit of Never Alone Never Afraid, Inc. Buildings Operations, Maintenance & Custodial. The vote for the new contract was 16-0, with Legis. 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. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Lawmakers waived a county charter-required seven-day waiting period to vote on the deals before more details emerged or could be scrutinized, and approved each measure nearly unanimously. The total cost of the contractwas not available Tuesday night. If, for any reason, you can not access, view or download these listings, please contact PERB at 518-457-2676 and arrangements will be made to provide them to you. Police statements about Mr. Lazos death contained obvious falsehoods and omissions, according to Fred Brewington, a lawyer who has been fighting for years to bring a civil suit on behalf of Mr. Lazos estate to court. SMITHTOWN, N.Y. Rob Trotta, a cranky Republican county legislator on Long Island who worked as a cop for 25 years, might be the unlikeliest voice for police reform in America. 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. The legislature voted to allow Long Island University to use part of the Suffolk County Farm in Yaphank for raising livestock and for agricultural education for students and the public. James Burke escorted by F.B.I. The Office helps facilitate each County department's mission, protects the interests of the County and its taxpayers, and promotes fairness in contracting with the business community. You do not have permission to view this gallery. 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. The PBA MOA modified a2012 MOA, which modified terms set in a2010 arbitration award, which were based on a2004 contract. Mr. Kaiman explained that the agreement creates new copays, such as a $100 emergency room copay, and raises deductibles for those who opt for out-of-network providers. But momentum for change is building, as both fiscal conservatives and liberal activists take aim at the outsize political power of police unions. 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. All rights reserved. One of New York Citys largest public-sector unions has been effectively taken over by its national parent after an audit revealed extensive financial mismanagement. Others say, As long as Im making $250,000 a year, I dont care.. 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. You never know. You should say what I say: We would love to pay them $500,000 a year, but we just cant afford it, he told them. Thus far, police benevolent associations have operated outside those restrictions. Suffolk County Probation Officers Association, Sufollk County Detective Investigator's PBA, National Association of Police Organizations. Trotta said he wasn't "a fan of long-term contracts," and expressed concern the contract would "burden" the next county executive. Plattsburgh, New York. Suffolk County Police Memorial Service: 11 AM on Friday, May 10th at SCPD HQ, Yaphank. LIU is the only university on Long Island with a veterinary medicine school. Dr. Gregson Pigott, of Greenlawn,as health commissioner. As a detective, he uncovered drug dealers in places others didnt think to look. Ms. Kaufman called him. . The bathroom in his office is decorated with rows of articles from the Long Island newspaper Newsday about corruption in the county. The fee may also be waivedif you are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support of a household and for recipients of Medicaid, SSI, Public Assistance or those in a training program under the Job Training 2020 through December 15, 2020, AEM 2020-19 Coverage and Dependent Eligibility Audit (1) 8.4.20, AEM 2020-18 EMHP Tele-medicine Provider (1) 7.31.20, AEM 2020-14 Out-of-Network Annual Physical Changes (1) 5.22.20, AEM 2020-13 COVID-19 EMHP COVERAGE CHANGES (1) 4.24.20, AEM 2020-06 Tele-Medicine - Coronavirus (1) 3.13.20, AEM 2020-06 Part 2 ADHC_coronavirus_stop_the_spread 2 (1), AEM 2020-01 EMHP Important Change to your Acupuncture & Occupational Therapy Benefits 1.29.20, Eligibility Audit for Coverage and Dependents 8/04/20, Prescription Reimbursement PBA Benefit Fund, Important Information Regarding the Cyber Attack, Outside Resource: LEO Support Group offered as a resource to SCPD officers, Self-Care Videos- Exercise, Yoga, Meditation, Time Managment Technique and Goal Setting. Detectives promoted before 2013 will keep their four-step system. Without unions, they argued, the police would never get the funding and legal protections needed to keep crime in check. Yet Mr. Trotta has railed for years about the political influence of police unions in Suffolk County, Long Island, a place where the cops are known to wield exceptional clout. 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. Hes a potent messenger, since he cant be smeared as anti-cop. Thats a major point, he told me afterward. But thats also true of the police. He said some elected officials visibly stiffened when police union representatives walked into county meetings. Under section 17 of the AME MOA, the county has committed to pay into a union trust that would provide retiree health benefits only to members in good standing. Under the states exclusive representation rules, a public employer cannot confer a special benefit specifically on those workers who choose to pay union dues. They cited political donations from the police union as the reason. An Audit of the Victims Information Bureau of Suffolk, Inc. An Audit of the Independent Group Home Living, Inc. (IGHL). But I dug around and found articles about the power of the Suffolk County police unions from the 1970s, long before it was legal for police officers to donate to political campaigns in New York. Detective investigators will receive 1.5% raises in January 2024 and in July 2024. We highlight PBA members' work; we recognize their heroic actions, and we educate the public regarding the sacrifices police officers make each day. Here are some tips. 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.