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Is Nassau County Police Department Selling Preferential Treatment?

by Shelly Feuer Domash on March 31, 2011
cover13

Let There Be Light

The lack of transparency demonstrated by Nassau’s outgoing Commissioner Mulvey and other officials at the NCPD throughout the reporting of this story has raised a slate of unanswered questions regarding the Nassau County Police Department Foundation, its directors, members, donors, relationship with the department and the ethics of both entities.

Why would a police department go to such lengths to protect the identities of the foundation’s board members and contributors if everything is above board? Why would a police department selectively follow Freedom of Information law to ensure the anonymity of foundation supporters? Who has contributed and how much? What ever happened to all that asset forfeiture money? Where did it go? What was it used for? Why not show the public foundation members’ police identification cards and shields if there’s nothing out of the ordinary with them? If Foundation members are doing such a service for the public good, why not issue a press release about their special status instead of an internal police memo?

After all, as Mulvey tells potential donors, it’s a “public/private partnership,” right? So what’s the big secret?

Approximately 125 members of the Nassau County Police Department retired in 2010. And while many took advantage of a countywide buyout offered for a short time by Mangano, others say their disgust over what has been taking place within the department also played a decisive role in their decision. They wonder where the cracks now threatening the department’s core values—granting preferential treatment to private citizens due to the girth of their wallets—will ultimately lead.

“Now that our integrity has been compromised by our leadership, we feel that the badge has been tarnished,” says a longtime veteran of the department with more than 30 years of service.

“When people give money they might have the right intent, but human nature says a percentage of people are going to want things back,” says another high-ranking officer who recently left the department because of the changes, among other reasons.

Lack of transparency about just who those private funders are, as well as any perks bestowed upon them for those contributions, add to negative perceptions.

“Stonewalling is never good,” says John Jay’s King. “The public trust in a police department and its leadership and the IRS requirements on the Foundation should be rigorously upheld. You’d think they [would have] learned from Troopergate,” he adds, referring to the 2007 scandal involving former New York State Gov. Eliot Spitzer in which he used the New York State Police to track then-Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.

“When the foundation stonewalls the press and the public and does not provide the public with information, it raises red flags and many questions about what they have to hide,” explains Susan Lerner, executive director of nonprofit good government watchdog Common Cause. “Let’s hope that in this situation the cover-up is worse than the conduct because if the conduct is worse than the cover-up it would truly be startling and the public’s worst fear in terms of an unaccountable police department.”

By Shelly Feuer Domash – [email protected]

Watch NBC4’s follow-up to our investigation, and interview with Shelly Feuer Domash

View more videos at: http://www.nbcnewyork.com.

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American International GroupAndrew CuomoAnish BerryBill O'ReillyBWD Group LLCCarlos NievesClifford Chance USCommon CauseCommunity Counselling Service Co. LLCCover StoryDavid CandelariaDepartment of Homeland SecurityDiagnostic Imaging GroupEd ManganoElizabeth ShawEric Blumencranzfeaturedfeatured-scrollFederico AmoriniFrank G. Zarb School of BusinessGary LearnedGene Bernsteinhighlight-foodHofstra UniversityJames CarverJohn HunterJohn Jay College of Criminal JusticeJon ShaneJoseph F. KingKaren O'CallaghanKarl KampeKenneth Lackkevin smithLawrence MulveyLLPLong Island Real Estate GroupMarc BlumencranzMarc FeinbergMaria HaberfeldMartin GreenbergMerrill Lynch & Co.Nassau Community CollegeNassau CountyNassau County Board of HealthNassau County Center for Law Enforcement Training and IntelligenceNassau County Crime StoppersNassau County Law Enforcement Exploring BoardNassau County Police Benevolent AssociationNassau County Police DepartmentNassau County Police Department FoundationNassau Detectives Associationnassau-police-indictmentsNational Institute of JusticeNew York Board of TradeNew York City Police DepartmentNew York Real Estate JournalNew York State Association of PBAsNew York State Committee on Open GovernmentNew York State policeNIC Holding Corp.Nicolaus & Co.Robert J. FreemanRobert P. CodignottoSpielman Koenigsberg & ParkerState of New YorkStephen L. HammermanSterling Commodities Corp.StifelSusan LernerTariq R. ShaikhThomas WilldiggTom SuozziWilliam Flanagan
American International Group, Andrew Cuomo, Anish Berry, Bill O'Reilly, BWD Group LLC, Carlos Nieves, Clifford Chance US, Common Cause, Community Counselling Service Co. LLC, Cover Story, David Candelaria, Department of Homeland Security, Diagnostic Imaging Group, Ed Mangano, Elizabeth Shaw, Eric Blumencranz, featured, featured-scroll, Federico Amorini, Frank G. Zarb School of Business, Gary Learned, Gene Bernstein, highlight-food, Hofstra University, James Carver, John Hunter, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Jon Shane, Joseph F. King, Karen O'Callaghan, Karl Kampe, Kenneth Lack, kevin smith, Lawrence Mulvey, LLP, Long Island Real Estate Group, Marc Blumencranz, Marc Feinberg, Maria Haberfeld, Martin Greenberg, Merrill Lynch & Co., Nassau Community College, Nassau County, Nassau County Board of Health, Nassau County Center for Law Enforcement Training and Intelligence, Nassau County Crime Stoppers, Nassau County Law Enforcement Exploring Board, Nassau County Police Benevolent Association, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Police Department Foundation, Nassau Detectives Association, nassau-police-indictments, National Institute of Justice, New York Board of Trade, New York City Police Department, New York Real Estate Journal, New York State Association of PBAs, New York State Committee on Open Government, New York State police, NIC Holding Corp., Nicolaus & Co., Robert J. Freeman, Robert P. Codignotto, Spielman Koenigsberg & Parker, State of New York, Stephen L. Hammerman, Sterling Commodities Corp., Stifel, Susan Lerner, Tariq R. Shaikh, Thomas Willdigg, Tom Suozzi, William Flanagan
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