suffolk county police chief burke

He said that one of those assignments was keeping tabs on newly elected Steve Bellone. Im gratified that the truth is finally coming out., Retired Suffolk detective says he feared being targeted by Burke, DAs office, Former Suffolk officer admits he took part in Loeb beating during testimony in Spota trial, Town of Babylon supervisor testifies at Spota, McPartland trial, Prosecutors: Spota, McPartland abused public trust to protect crooked cop friend, Jury selected in former Suffolk DA Spota cover-up trial, Christopher Loeb shows up at ex-DA Spota jury selection in cover-up trial, DA Spota says he never spoke with Bellone about Burke, 2011 letter from Spota denies James Burke misdeeds. He is an award-winning journalist and the co-author of two books, "The Card" and "American Icon. The Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD) is a local civilian agency established in 1960, and covers 5 out of the 10 towns in the county, them being: . Former Suffolk County, New York, Police Chief James Burke was sentenced Wednesday to 46 months in federal prison after covering up the revenge beating of a man who stole a duffel bag. With time served, he'll spend 35 months behind bars. A union official falsely told several officers Burke and other high-ranking Suffolk County law enforcement authorities had obtained copies of FBI memos containing the names of people speaking with investigators. The county has one of the largest police forces in America and includes both working-class villages and wealthy enclaves like the Hamptons. After Mr. Burke was arrested, Judge Leonard Wexler took the unusual step of denying him bail, saying he posed a danger to the community. Federal prosecutors said in a pre-sentencing memorandum that the fallen top cops cover-up scheme included the recruiting of high-ranking officials from other county agencies to assist him in the obstruction and to give teeth to his threats.. Prosecutors said Burke also abused his authority by entering Loeb's residence as police searched for evidence, retrieving his canvas bag and other articles and jeopardizing a larceny investigation that victimized many other civilians "solely to retrieve embarrassing articles." But, Wexler said, "He also did bad if you were not on his side. During the same meeting, Mr. Spota, Mr. McPartland and Mr. Burke discussed who was a rat and directed a police officer to remind other officers what happened to people who go against the administration.. "RRCs provide a safe, structured, supervised environment, as well as employment counseling, job placement, financial management assistance, and other programs and services," the website reads. County officials said Chief James Burke turned in his resignation, which is. In terms of obstructing justice, it is hard to imagine a more serious example of this conduct than the highest-ranking uniform member of the police department assaulting a suspect and then orchestrating a cover-up of his actions for three years during which he suborned perjury and prevented witnesses from telling the truth, U.S. Attorney Robert Capers said in the letter. I think we still have a long way to go," said Trotta, who spoke at the sentencing. 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Paying more despite good credit? In 2012, Christopher . As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Internal Affairs reports also found Burke had engaged in sexual acts in police vehicles and had a sexual relationship with "a convicted felon, known to be actively engaged in criminal conduct including the possession and sale of illegal drugs, prostitution and larceny.''. Mr. Burke was hoping to to dig up blackmail dirt on her, Mr. Miskiewicz testified, calling the episode something out of the K.G.B.. Burke became chief of the Suffolk County Police Department, one of the country's largest suburban police forces, in 2012 after serving for nearly a decade as chief investigator for Suffolk County . Burke pleaded guilty to the charges and served time in prison. Questions of Burke's fitness to lead surfaced as far back as 1995, when he was found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer for twice failing to safeguard his weapon. He had subordinates conduct surveillance on his girlfriends, prosecutors said. Hes very remorseful.. That's corruption.". prison terms for ex-Chief of Department James Burke. Thomas J. Spota, center, leaving court after being charged with obstruction of justice in 2017. "And somebody has to say, 'obviously we're not doing that,' right?" This page is not available in other languages. Central Islip federal Judge Leonard Wexler trashed Burke as a dictator during sentencing, when the ex-lawman apologized to Loeb. Some were warned that if they admitted wrongdoing, their union would not pay their legal fees. But in 2015, the prosecutors started investigating again, issuing grand jury subpoenas to police officers. All rights reserved. "In terms of obstructing justice, it is hard to imagine a more serious example of this conduct than the highest-ranking uniform member of the police department assaulting a suspect and then orchestrating a coverup of his actions for three years during which he suborned perjury and prevented witnesses from telling the truth,'' U.S. Attorney Ronald Capers said in the letter. In May 2013 the FBI and the US Attorney's Office opened an investigation into alleged actions by Burke when employed as Chief of the Suffolk County Police Department: the alleged assault of a suspect in police custody, a subsequent cover-up, and coercion of witnesses. The prostitute, who identified herself as Lee Ann, claimed she had rough sex with Burke. The federal inquiry has since expanded beyond Mr. Burke to look into a broader pattern of possible corruption in both the police department and the office of the Suffolk County district attorney, Thomas J. Spota. "James Burke, Ex-Suffolk County Police Chief, Pleads Guilty", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Burke_(police_officer)&oldid=1116850381, This page was last edited on 18 October 2022, at 17:26. Inside new mortgage fee rules, Retaining wall collapses in the Bronx due to severe weather. Former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke apologized to his victim, the judge, his family and his Long Island community before being sentenced to 46 months Wednesday. Mr. Spota, 78, served for more than 15 years as the top prosecutor in Suffolk County, on the eastern end of Long Island. Paying more despite good credit? When Mr. Burke entered the interrogation room, Mr. Loeb was handcuffed and chained to an eyebolt fastened to the floor, according to prosecutors. Mr. McPartland, 53, was the chief of the offices public corruption unit. Feb. 26, 2016. Loeb said at the time he required the walker due to dog bites sustained during his arrest. A union official falsely told several officers that Burke and "other high-ranking Suffolk County law enforcement authorities" had secretly obtained copies of FBI memos containing the names of people speaking with investigators. Before being named chief in 2012, he worked as an investigator for the Suffolk County district attorney. You told me my word was no good against that of a decorated police chief, said Loeb, who is serving a sentence for a parole violation. ABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News Stream. Anyone can read what you share. 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(CBSNewYork/AP) --A former Long Islandpolice chief charged withbeating a handcuffed manfor stealing embarrassing items from his department vehicle and then covering it up was sentenced to 46 months in prison Wednesday. He had subordinates conduct surveillance on his girlfriends, prosecutors said. Copyright 2023 Newsday. ", Burke will be able to leave the facility only through a sign-out procedure for "approved activities.". In May 2013 the FBI and the US Attorney's Office opened an investigation into alleged actions by Burke when employed as Chief of the Suffolk County Police Department: the alleged assault of a suspect in police custody, a subsequent cover-up, and coercion of witnesses. Former Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer was stunned to have found the remains of four young women on an isolated stretch of Long Island's Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach.. "Your abuse of power and the public's trust is appalling. In a 2013 court hearing, Mr. Loeb testified that when he asked for a lawyer, one detective told him, This isnt Law & Order; youre not going to get an attorney.. "We will seek to hold accountable anyone who violates another's civil rights or attempts to obstruct justice.". Mr. Spota and Mr. Burke have been close for decades, and the district attorney helped Mr. Burke secure his job as the top officer for much of Long Island, despite a sometimes checkered history. The bag belonged to James Burke, the police chief in Suffolk County, and was stolen from his parked car in December 2012. CENTRAL ISLIP, Long Island -- A suburban New York police chief who orchestrated a department cover-up after beating a handcuffed man for stealing embarrassing items from his SUV has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison. In what has been called an "unusual move," he was then criminally prosecuted by Spota and McPartland. That is about $50,000 more than their counterparts in New York City, and it does not include overtime pay, which can be substantial, or the extra money officers receive for each year on the job. At that time I, along with others willfully used unreasonable force and slapped and hit this individual causing bodily injury. CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. The former police chief of Suffolk County pleaded guilty on Friday to federal charges stemming from accusations that he beat a suspect in custody, threatened . To prove Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland were guilty of obstruction, according to the defense, the government must show the two men knew they were asking others to lie. "He's been through a lot in Suffolk County.". But they were wrong. It started with a duffel bag containing sex toys, cigars and a pornographic film. One officer told a federal agent that if that were true, "I'm a dead man," the letter said. Burke resigned from the force in October after a 31-year career. He is expected to testify that the defendants instructed him to pressure other police detectives into hiding the truth about Mr. Burkes assault from investigators. Prosecutors, however, have said in court papers that Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland operated in a manner more akin to criminal enterprise than a district attorneys office.. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. The incident began in Ridge, Suffolk prosecutors said in 2019, after Loeb nearly ran over a woman walking her dog while driving in a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Please enter valid email address to continue. In the 2012 incident that led to his downfall, witnesses testified he went out of control after the handcuffed suspect called him a pervert during an interrogation - punching, screaming and cursing and threatening to kill him with a heroin overdose. "That's basically how they put fear in [officers]. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland have pleaded not guilty to four criminal counts, including witness tampering and obstruction of justice. Those efforts continued even after the F.B.I. He was brought to a precinct house and shackled to the floor. "You saw what we did to him, this is what we are going to do to you.". James Burke, left, former chief of the Suffolk County Police Department, is taken into custody by FBI agents outside his home in Smithtown on Dec. 9, 2015. Credit: James Carbone By Robert E . The Associated Press contributed to this report. The police chief pleaded guilty in a separate case, avoiding a trial, and served a jail sentence. All Rights Reserved. He was released last summer. Since the federal inquiry into Mr. Burkes actions began some three years ago, investigators have expanded their inquiries and are now examining the workings of the Police Department and the district attorneys office. A federal prosecutor involved in the case declined to comment Tuesday. Copyright 2023 by The Associated Press. Spokespeoplefor Suffolk police and the county declined to comment, saying they could not discuss pending litigation. Ultimately, Mr. Burke was arrested and pleaded guilty in 2016 to a civil rights violation and conspiracy to obstruct justice. I have been fighting this corruption in Suffolk County long before Spota was prosecuted and the media began reporting on it. November 2, 2016 / 5:48 PM Anyone can read what you share. "If you were with Burke, he treated you like gold, and you got tons of overtime," Trotta said. At a court hearing after Mr. Burkes arrest, a federal prosecutor, James Miskiewicz, described a pattern of abuse, including the use of a contractor for the district attorneys office to install a GPS device on a deputy police commissioners car. He stole a duffel bag inside the vehicle that included a fake penis, a stash of porn and a box of cigars, according to court papers. U.S. District Court Judge Leonard Wexler said Burke's crimes went beyond the beating and affected the entire 2,000-member police department. Most of Thursdays testimony centered on John Oliva a Suffolk police officer under Burke who was transferred out of an elite gang unit and wiretapped when he was suspected of leaking information to the media. As your Sheriff, I have made it my priority to protect public safety, speak up and against the grain to do what I know . Burke.). "There was a level of justice here and that even somebody as high ranking as the chief of police can't engage in that kind of misconduct and that kind of corruption and that kind of coverup and get away with it," said Loeb's lawyer, Bruce Barket. He had subordinates conduct surveillance on his girlfriends, prosecutors said. "RRCs help inmates gradually rebuild their ties to the community and facilitate supervising ex-offenders' activities during this readjustment phase. The 30-year-old was released from prison in January after a Suffolk judge set aside his guilty plea in the Burke theft because of perjured testimony given by cops at Burkes direction, Newsday reported. And from there, they said, it only got worse. The police unions on Long Island are so wealthy they have formed a super PAC to flood local elections with campaign donations. With some 2,700 sworn officers and over 600 civilian members, the department is one of the largest in the region. On that day I went to the 4th precinct in Suffolk County. N.J. Burkett has the latest details from Long Island. As a result, officers working the night of the beating or heard Burke brag about it at a Christmas party stayed quiet for years, prosecutors said. U.S. District Court Judge Leonard Wexler said Burke's crimes went beyond the beating and affected the entire 2,000-member police department. One officer told a federal agent he was a dead man, if that were true, the letter said. and the U.S. attorneys office opened an investigation of the assault in May 2013, according to a statement released by prosecutors announcing Mr. Burkes indictment in December. CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. -- A suburban New York police chief who orchestrated a department cover-up after beating a handcuffed man for stealing embarrassing items from his SUV has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Here is the full text of Burke's plea statement: "On December 14, 2012, I was the Chief of the Suffolk County Police Department. Internal Affairs reports also found Burke had engaged in sexual acts in police vehicles and had a sexual relationship with a convicted felon. All Rights Reserved. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Thats something out of the K.G.B., a prosecutor said at Mr. Burkes bail hearing in 2015. "Our investigation is ongoing," the US attorney said. Burke became chief of the Suffolk County Police Department in 2012 after having served for nearly a decade as the chief investigator for Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota. All Rights Reserved. All Rights Reserved. Loeb drove across lawns to evade police, and motorists told police that he drove atmore than 100 mphon Patchogue-Mount Sinai Road, sometimes on the wrong side of the road, until he stopped at a gas station in Islandia and ran into the woods. / CBS New York. Credit: Barry Sloan. Officers subpoenaed by FBI agents investigating the 2012 beating were brought in and interrogated about whether they had talked, prosecutors said. A union official falsely told several officers that Burke and "other high-ranking Suffolk County law enforcement authorities'' had secretly obtained copies of FBI memos containing the names of people speaking with investigators. ), First published on November 2, 2016 / 5:48 PM. This story has been shared 234,419 times. The new Suffolk police commissioner, Tim Sini, is a former assistant United States attorney from the Southern District of New York, and he has hired a former federal corruption investigator, John Barry, to review the departments internal affairs files. This accreditation signifies a compliance with higher standards of practice and enforcement of policies that are focused on community-based policing, a commitment to excellence and resource management, and sound training practices. In Jan. 2017 Burke, who was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison, was transferred to the low-security prison in Allenwood, Pennsylvania. The coconspirators were not identified in the letter, but prosecutors said their investigation is ongoing. The case was notorious on Long Island. Prison officials found oxycodone a controlled substance prescribed for pain management in former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burkes cell at the low-security federal lockup in Allenwood, Pa., sources told Newsday. A federal prosecutor involved in the case declined to comment Tuesday. At that point, prosecutors said, Mr. Burke went out of control, screaming and cursing at Loeb and assaulting him until a detective finally said, Boss, thats enough, thats enough.. Burke, 56, who pleaded guilty to civil rights and conspiracy charges, was sentenced to 46 months in prison in 2016. Mr. Loeb responded to the thrashing by calling Mr. Burke a pervert and mocking him for the pornography he found in his car, according to federal prosecutors. 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Federal prosecutors have indicated other charges may be looming for accomplices who helped cover up the crime. The co-conspirators were not identified in the letter, but prosecutors said their investigation is ongoing. Most of Thursday's testimony centered on John Oliva - a Suffolk police officer under Burke who was transferred out of an elite gang unit and wiretapped when he was suspected of leaking information to the media. A few months after the 2012 assault, the man caught with the duffel bag, Christopher Loeb, told investigators that Mr. Burke had beaten him, prompting a federal civil rights investigation. The defense accused the government of turning Mr. Burkes longtime friendship with Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland into a crime, saying the conversations that the three men had during the federal investigation did not rise to the level of obstruction of justice. In 2013, he had a contractor illegally put a GPS device on a high-ranking civilian police official he disliked, hoping to gather information that he could use for blackmail, according to the pre-sentencing letter. Questions of Burke's fitness to lead surfaced as far back as 1995, when he was found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer for twice failing to safeguard his weapon. One lied in court and said the attack had not happened. Mr. Burke not only survived that incident but also thrived. He noted that more than 80 people had written letters seeking leniency and calling Burke a good man who helped many people in a 31-year career. The FBI in Pennsylvania is investigating the source of the oxycodone, sources said. "He's doing much better these days," Cassar said. Burke pleaded not guilty in December after being accused of beating a man who broke into his police cruiser in 2012 and then trying to hide the alleged assault. He asked for no prison time because he says his mother is dying of cancer. The heart and soul of the governments case rests on the credibility of one witness, Mr. Krantz said. The series centers on the scandal-ridden former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke, who infamously kicked the FBI off the case soon after he stepped into the position in 2012.. Former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke apologized to his victim, the judge, his family and his Long Island community before being sentenced to 46 months Wednesday. On Thursday morning, during opening statements, prosecutors laid out their case that Mr. Spota and his deputy directed a cover-up to protect Mr. Burke, pressuring potential witnesses not to cooperate with the federal investigation into the assault. That accusation is a baseless and damnable lie, Mr. Spotas lawyer, Alan M. Vinegrad, said in his opening statement.

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