Written by JORGE FITZ-GIBBON
HARRISON — Two town police officers who were suspended and disciplined for
exchanging lewd, sexual comments about Harrison’s then-supervisor on Facebook
now have been promoted and given hefty raises.
Michael DiLauria and Frank Massaro, part of the “Facebook Four” who also
exchanged racist comments in 2009 about President Barack Obama, have been made
sergeants earning $113,810, a raise of $15,699, effective Friday.
The move didn’t sit well with former Supervisor Joan Walsh, who had pushed
to have DiLauria, Massaro, Detective Richard Light and town code enforcement
officer Ed DiBuono fired following the scandal.
“Given my experiences with them, I am concerned how they treat other
townspeople,” said Walsh, 78. “They felt free to make these totally unsolicited
comments when they had absolutely no interaction with me. Was it to curry favor
with somebody, or is this the kind of thought process that they have all the
time.”
DiLauria, Massaro, Light and DiBuono were suspended with pay Feb. 27, 2009,
and later ordered to do community service and docked pay for the online
exchanges.
In Facebook postings between November 2008 and February 2009, they
ridiculed Walsh and joked about raunchy sex with her.
In one posting, Massaro wrote, “Ed, how about JW and you go out and get
drunk, then on the way home you both can play the game and get nakid (sic)
while you drive. Everything but the cast comes off. Salute!”
Light, who was demoted after the scandal, also commented on Obama’s
election, saying “the rose garden will be turned into the watermelon garden”
and there will be “KFC set up right in front of the white house.”
Police Chief Anthony Marraccini defended DiLauria’s and Massaro’s
promotions Friday, saying “these were very good officers prior to this event”
and that “they were and are stellar officers after the event.”
“I didn’t agree with any of their actions, but they suffered severe
penalties,” he said. “Both of these officers, upon returning to duty, performed
and served this community to the highest of standards. They have both been a
credit and an asset, not only to the town but to the community.”
“It would be unjust to have this item from the past penalize them for their
entire career,” he said.
Harrison Supervisor Ron Belmont did not return calls seeking comment.
The promotions come four days after a Pleasantville police officer was
suspended while that department investigates allegations that he posted a
profane, racist rant against Obama on his Facebook page. Pleasantville Police
Chief Richard Love said the probe of the officer, Peter Burns, “could lead to
his dismissal.”
