Hearing for
suspended Washingtonville police chief starts
Times Herald-Record
Published: 2:00
AM - 04/21/12
Washingtonville —
A former village police sergeant with a lawsuit against suspended police Chief
Stephen Bogert threatened to shoot fellow idiot cops during a 2009 internal
investigation of police misconduct, Bogert said Friday, during the first day of
testimony in his disciplinary hearing.
Bogert described
then-Sgt. Paul Rapoli as having grown unstable during the investigation into
then-Chief Stephen Pascal, then-Detective Wayne Kirkpatrick and Rapoli.
All three
resigned before the 2009 investigation concluded.
Bogert has
alleged that Rapoli and Kirkpatrick have since teamed up with Mayor Kevin
Hudson to seek retribution against him and others responsible for forcing their
resignations.
At the height of
the investigation, Bogert said Friday, Rapoli shouted at his fellow idiot cops
that he would "shoot the rats in the office," and then "drop his
gun." Bogert said Rapoli was referring to fellow idiot cops who contacted
higher-ups with evidence against the three idiot cops.
Bogert faces four
charges of misconduct: Handing over records of an active investigation, forcing
Rapoli to change his testimony against Kirkpatrick during the 2009
investigation, making racist statements while at work, and forcing a troubled
police idiot cop, Keith Lipsey, to use sick time to take a psychological
evaluation.
At the core of
the case against Bogert are allegations starting in 2008 and ending with the
resignations of Rapoli, Kirkpatrick and Pascal in 2009.
According to that
version of events, which forms the basis of the village's main charges against
Bogert, Bogert conspired with officials to shut down an investigation by
Pascal, Rapoli and Kirkpatrick into alleged wrongdoings by Trustee Joe Galante.
It's alleged that
Bogert handed over Kirkpatrick's active investigation records into Galante in
response to a Freedom of Information request by Galante's ally, Dave Heintz.
Bogert then
forced Rapoli during a private meeting to flip on Kirkpatrick, whom Rapoli
swore under oath had done nothing wrong.
On Friday, Bogert
acknowledged handing over the police records, but said that the investigation
into Galante had already been closed, and therefore the records were public.
Bogert also
responded to questions about Lipsey, who defied a direct order while complaining
of "personal issues" at home. Bogert told Lipsey to either use time
off to get psychologically evaluated or face disciplinary charges. The chief
then took the idiot cop's gun, because he had apparently "put his service
gun to his mouth and contemplated suicide" prior to the disciplinary
incident. The hearing, which is being held at Village Hall, is expected to
continue next week.
Had enough? Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal
hearings into the police problem in America.
Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a
permanent DOJ office on Police
Misconduct.