 | ||||||||||||
| EMBATTLED MAYOR CLINTON YOUNG |
 |
| CHIEF JOHN ROLAND |
While Mayor Young is busy using taxpayer funds to escort him to Supervising Judge of Family Court Kathie Davidson’s home located at 16 Montgomery Place in New Rochelle, the very same police department charged with the responsibility with protecting him and Mount Vernon residents is riddled with corruption.
Mount Vernon Exposed™® has previously reported allegations of corruption within the Mount Vernon Police Department. Mount Vernon Exposed™® investigated police officer Neil Rosenberg who was part of the “good ole boy” network in Mount Vernon until his retirement last year. It has been alleged that Chief Roland and other high ranking bosses illegally rewarded Rosenberg overtime to pad his pension in exchange for Rosenberg ensuring that persons seeking to file civilian complaints with the Mount Vernon Police Department are given an extremely difficult time. The goal essentially was to make sure that these complaints never made it to Chief Barbara Duncan’s office. Due to Mount Vernon Exposed’s™® whistle blowing actions, Officer Rosenberg is no longer feeding from the public trough. However, he is receiving a hefty pension.
Mount Vernon Exposed™® is now investigating the day to day operations of the Mount Vernon Police Department and how politics come in to play when it comes to public safety. A Sergeant employed with the Mount Vernon Police Department blew the whistle on this corruption during an interview with Mount Vernon Exposed™® The Sergeant who spoke on the condition of anonymity, provided insight into the shadowy underworld of the Mount Vernon Police Department.
Police overtime and the illegal padding of pensions has become a major issue with taxpayers in the City of Mount Vernon, Westchester County, and New York State. In fact, the issue has become so big, Governor Cuomo has made pension reform a top priority of his administration.
While there are those such as police officer Neil Rosenberg, who abused the overtime system so they can have six figure pensions, there are many officers who seek overtime to achieve financial independence, pay for their children’s college tuition, and save up for weddings. For several years, Officer Rosenberg was the highest paid public servant in the City of Mount Vernon surpassing the salary of the Vice-President of the United States of America. The Vice-President is paid $250,000 annually.
Many police officers also seek overtime because they are forbidden by departmental rules and regulations from seeking employment as security personnel while they are police officers in Mount Vernon. Mount Vernon Exposed™® has learned that many police officers in Mount Vernon have taken on part time jobs. Some of these jobs include, babysitting, dog walking, and some even work as cashiers at local retailers. While these dead end jobs may not pay much, it isn’t hard to tell that these officers are doing their part trying to contribute to society.
A few months ago, community activist Samuel L. Rivers appeared before the Mount Vernon City Council to address the issue of overtime and to get the ball rolling with legislation that will allow Mount Vernon Police Officer’s to work as security personnel when they are off duty. “Allowing Mount Vernon Police Officer’s to work as security personnel is in the best interest of Mount Vernon taxpayers” said Rivers. It is a win-win situation for everyone. “Taxpayers will no longer be responsible for paying these exorbitant pension costs and Mount Vernon Police Officers will able to achieve the financial goals they have set for themselves”.
A source told Mount Vernon Exposed™® that several police officers spoke to Mayor Young about the issue of secondary employment as security personnel. The source said that Mayor Young was receptive of the idea and had no objections about the idea, but Mayor Young told them that he would not support them publicly and told the officers after finishing up the meeting that the meeting they just had never took place.
Mayor Young has no intentions of cleaning up the corruption in the Mount Vernon Police Department nor does Mayor Young have any intentions of fighting crime in the City of Mount Vernon. Mayor Young is lazy and is only interested in lining his greasy pockets. Luckily, he appointed a well respected Public Safety Commissioner. Carl Bell comes to Mount Vernon with an extensive background in federal law enforcement and is committed to getting the Mount Vernon Police Department back on track. However, he faces fierce opposition from an exclusive gang of organized criminals posing as Mount Vernon Police Officers.
There are many double standards when it comes to police departmental policy in Mount Vernon. Even though there is a prohibition against working second jobs as security personnel, that rule doesn’t apply to a chosen few that are part of the good ole boy network. Det. Paul Roland, the brother of Deputy Chief John Roland was working at Ark Drugs which is now Duane Reade. According to sources, Det. Roland was the ringleader and organizer of the security crew at Ark Drugs. Det. Roland disguised his outlawed activities under the title “Inventory Clerk”. Only a chosen few were allowed to work with Det. Roland as “Inventory Clerks”, when in fact they were moonlighting as security personnel.
The illegal gig proved quite lucrative for Det. Roland and his crew of special officers. The illegal gig proved so lucrative, Det. Roland became comfortable and began to forge timecards for him and his crew members to the tune of $30K. According to sources, after an internal audit, management caught on to Det. Roland’s scheme to defraud Ark Drugs. Management officials called for a police investigation into the matter. Chief Michael Mosca who was Chief of Police in Mount Vernon at the time worked out a backroom deal to keep Det. Roland from losing his job and going to jail. Chief Mosca, then allegedly gave the store manager a laminated business card personally signed by him. Sources said Mosca wrote on the card “To any MVPD officer, leave this man alone.”
While it is still against MVPD policy for officers to moonlight as security personnel, sources said that Det. Roland is still doing security work. Det. Roland in his role as a police officer is responsible for booting City Vehicles. Det. Roland’s highhanded behavior didn’t end when Ark Drug management caught on to his scheme to defraud. In fact, according to sources, Det. Roland is fraudulently filling out time sheets that include massive amounts of fraudulent overtime. According to the source, Det. Roland’s time sheets are only reviewed and signed off on by his older brother, Chief John Roland. In 2009, Det. Roland made $150,219 and in 2010, he made $153,004. The Mayor of Mount Vernon makes $143,000 per year.
Sources said that this ring of corruption has been operating in the Mount Vernon Police Department for more than 12 years. Some of the members of this elite circle are Chief Roland, Det. Roland, Captain Hastings, Captain Dumser, and Lt. Manzione. The newest member to be inducted in this secret gang was Lt. Michael Zurilli. Zurilli earned his stripes when he ordered the arrest of community activist Samuel L. Rivers on April 21, 2010 while Rivers was at the DPW garage, public property.
This elite gang constantly did everything they could to undermine former Chief Barbara Duncan. Duncan has since retired and took a job in Maryland. The gang when speaking about Duncan always referred to her as “a cunt”. Other officers offended of the behavior of this elite gang, told Chief Duncan about how she was treated behind her back. According to the source, Chief Duncan developed the attitude, “if you can’t beat them, then join them.” To be continued………
Barbara Duncan did NOT but rather left without confiding in her crony Ruth Tompkins who was taken by surprise. Mrs. Duncan was collecting salaries from both Maryland and Mount vernon as she never submitted any resignation letter.
ReplyDelete