Ed Mangano’s War With Nassau County Police

At war: (L-R) Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, Acting Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter and Nassau PBA President James Carver are battling it out over a plan to close two police precincts.

FOLLOW THE MONEY

Testifying before the legislature last month regarding the county’s police belt-tightening proposals, Mangano’s Chief Deputy County Executive Rob Walker angrily interrupted Carver as the PBA head was addressing lawmakers.

“There is absolutely shared sacrifice in this budget,” Walker declared.

The former state Assemblyman added emphatically that every employee, including appointees, were part of Nassau’s communal suffering.

The Press has learned, however, that at least one high-ranking police department official has clearly been exempt from the “shared sacrifice.”

William Flanagan was handpicked by former Nassau County Police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey to run the money-rich asset forfeiture unit, which allocates forfeiture monies within the department, and later appointed second deputy commissioner in 2007. He earned $124,476, not including overtime and other benefits, according to the Nassau County Comptroller’s Office. In just four years he was given raises that total more than $100,000, ultimately being appointed to the title of second deputy under Mulvey. This year his base salary is $225,929.

The commissioner’s salary was also increased by approximately $50,000 for 2012, according to the comptroller, bumped from $175,000 to $225,000.

In addition, at least one other substantial raise was given to a former police department employee whose official title designates her to Mangano’s press office but yet who remains on the police department’s payroll.

Mangano’s press secretary as of January, Katie Grilli-Robles, has been paid more than $110,000 since mid-March, all of which comes out of the police budget, according to a Freedom of Information Law request fulfilled the comptroller. She made approximately $86,000 at her old job as Mulvey’s public information officer, according to records.

Grilli-Robles tells the Press she is still actively performing public relations duties for the police department in addition to her role in Mangano’s office.

Along with Grilli-Robles, the county employs a handful of others who serve in various press secretariat roles for Mangano. Their combined salaries total approximately $500,000 per year.

“That is typical of Mangano, saying reduce the cost of personal staff while someone like Katie, who I like, is on the police department payroll,” blasts Carver. “It is like a shell game.”