Five former Ocean Beach police officers who were let go from their jobs charge that the village's acting police chief and his allies on the force covered up police brutality, associated with known drug dealers and flouted the law, according to a federal lawsuit filed yesterday. The $325-million lawsuit alleges that all five officers were wrongly terminated last April because they tried to stop "the regime of endemic corruption within the Ocean Beach Police Department." Ocean Beach village attorney Kenneth Gray declined to comment. But acting Chief George Hesse said the allegations were false. Hesse offered "shifting explanations" for the firings, the complaint says. He accused one officer of sleeping on the job, which the officer denied. In the interview, Hesse would not say why he terminated them but said it was his prerogative. The complaint says that, although he told three of them they were terminated because of budget cuts, he told other officers in the department the fired officers were "rats." He also said Thomas Snyder and Edward Carter were fired because they "were to wear a wire" for the Suffolk district attorney, which the complaint says was not true. The former officers, for their part, said in an interview that they had no choice but to come forward. "The people need to know what's going on," said former Officer Kevin Lamm. According to the complaint, Hesse and other officers drank while on duty, socialized with known drug dealers while working, did nothing about minors drinking and using drugs, and covered up "numerous acts of despicable police brutality." The suit filed in Central Islip alleges that Hesse, while on duty, had sex with women and insisted that officers chauffeur him to and from his encounters. The Suffolk County district attorney has opened a grand jury investigation into the police department. Spokesman Robert Clifford declined to comment, but the officers' lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, said his clients were cooperating. Ocean Beach, a popular summer vacation spot spanning 10 blocks on Fire Island, has 138 residents year-round. During the summer, the population swells to 5,000 to 6,000. There are 24 cops year-round. "It's like two different police jobs, day to night," said former Officer Thomas Snyder. "Night, it's like Mardi Gras." In addition to Lamm, Snyder, and Carter, the former officers filing suit are Frank Fiorillo and Joseph Nofi. In an interview, all five, graduates of the Suffolk Police Academy, spoke of the pride they felt as police officers. "The academy instills values, morals and ethics," said Fiorillo, who was valedictorian of his academy class in 2002. "When I got to Ocean Beach, I didn't see what I was taught." The officers described a steadily deteriorating environment under Hesse's leadership, with a disregard for public safety. Hesse allegedly told officers to stay away from certain bars, which they knew served alcohol to minors. One bar regularly delivered "rocket fuel" - piņa colada, 151 proof rum and amaretto - to the police station and when certain officers became intoxicated, Hesse ordered others to neglect their own duties and chauffeur them, the complaint says. Once, according to the suit, Hesse ordered Fiorillo to drive him to a party at the home of a "known drug dealer." Hesse allegedly described the dealer as "a close personal friend" and ordered Fiorillo not to interfere with the dealer's activities. One incident described in the suit occurred on the night of Halloween 2004. Snyder, Fiorillo and Lamm said they were called to Houser's bar, where two men told them they had been beaten by someone who said he was a police officer, while they were defending a friend who was being "choked and beaten" with a pool cue, the complaint says. At the bar, the victims said their attacker was gone. All three victims were hospitalized. Hesse allegedly told the officers to change their reports to hide the police officer's involvement, but they refused, the complaint says. He directed another officer to investigate and cover up the incident. In an interview, Hesse said the officers had "failed to do a proper investigation." All five said they have failed to find police jobs. "We were good cops," Fiorillo said, "that were served a great injustice."
Story From: Newsday, Inc.
ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops
About MassCops, the home for Massachusetts law enforcement.
The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network opened in 1998 and is now a part of the New England Police Network The site is a pro-police discussion forum intended for sworn police officers and civilian law enforcement officials as well as those interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement here in Massachusetts.
The goal of The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network is to provide an informal network of law enforcement officials here in Massachusetts for educational and informational purposes.
The forum covers many topics such as Police Related News Articles, Agency & Profession Discussions, Police Training as well as Law Enforcement Career Information.
The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network and The New England Police Network (NEPN) and it's network sites are privately owned websites/domains and are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government association or agency.
MassCops (masscops.com) and (masscop.com) are privately owned are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Massachusetts Coalition of Police (masscop.org)
ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops