Li Cops In $55m Gold Rush

[PBXTech]

Maybe we will get list numbers now.


http://www.nypost.com/seven/03162009/news/regionalnews/li_cops_in_55m_gold_rush_159740.htm


By KIERAN CROWLEY, LARRY CELONA, SELIM ALGAR and CHUCK BENNETT
George Gudmundsen
Chief of the support division
Age: 55
Status: Retired
$492,531 lump sum

Last updated: 2:33 am
March 16, 2009
Posted: 1:38 am
March 16, 2009

Like a stampeding herd, more than 200 Nassau County cops are galloping to retire by midsummer to collect bloated "severance" packages of up to half a mil lion bucks each before a new law caps their payouts, the Post has learned.

The vast number of retire ments is expected to cost the cash-strapped county $55 million and will force it to borrow the money through an expensive bond issue.

"Everyone is going to flock out the door," said Tom Stokes, the Nassau County deputy executive for budget, who is strug gling to close a $130 million deficit. "We are pursuing state legislation to bond this."

For decades, retiring offi cers could cash in unused sick days, holidays, comp time and even one day for every pint of blood they donated for a "sev erance" or "termination" package that, for long- time veterans, could easily top $500,000.

These payouts come on top of already generous pensions that routinely net veteran officers six figures a year to enjoy their truly golden years.

Faced with an unprecedented budget crisis, Nassau County executive Tom Suozzi capped this one-time payout to two years' salary beginning in July for patrolmen, and August for superior officers.

Even the reduced amounts "are still big numbers, and much more than I would like to see people get in their termination pay," said Suozzi, who himself took a 7 percent pay cut.

Last year, 127 retiring officers collected $24.6 million in termination pay. The highest award went to former Detective Capt. George Hollman, who pocketed $478,000, records show, before he started collecting his $105,000-a-year pension.

In 2007, three retired chiefs collected payouts that approached $700,000. Former Capt. William Gutersloh took home $696,213 on top of his $135,000 pension.

This year, 28 officers have put in their retirement papers but the county expects some 225 cops out of a 2,600- member force to turn in their badges. To date, this includes nine senior supervisors, including three out of the four chiefs in the department, sources said.

On Feb. 12, the former chief of the support division, George Gudmundsen, 55, retired and picked up a $492,531 check.

"The money you refer to was honestly earned and deferred over the course of a 35-year career," said Gudmundsen. He added that he would have retired this year regardless of the upcoming cap on the severance pay.

Following soon in his footsteps are Chief of Patrol William McHale, 62, who sources say is looking at $350,000 payout, and Chief of Detectives Patrick O'Connor, 59, who is set to get an undisclosed sum.

Through a Nassau County Police Department spokesman, the two chiefs declined to comment on their sweepstakes-sized payouts.

If the bond issue is approved, it will be paid back over 10 years, not the typical 20 years, according to the office of county Comptroller Howard Weitzman.

The president of the Nassau County Detectives Association, Tom Willdigg, said the rash of retirements will lead to a short-term deficit of institutional knowledge. A "big knowledge bank" is "going out the door," he said.

kieran.crowley@nypost.com

[Brendon]

Yeah, it's sad it takes that long to even get test scores, but this does a pretty good job explaining why:

http://www.ipacweb.org/files/nassau/wklystd.html

[EXNYPD]

Yeah, it's sad it takes that long to even get test scores, but this does a pretty good job explaining why:

http://www.ipacweb.org/files/nassau/wklystd.html

Anyone ever find out the outcome of this, or is it still business as usual????

I remember taking this test a few years back and only scoring a 76, it was the lowest score I have ever received, and I have a BA and 8 years OTJ!

[Sense0Purpose1]

An old timer where I work, retired Det Sgt. told me about the litigation that took place back in the 80's and early 90's. How he kept trying to make Lt., but they kept canceling the list because the Justice Department was breathing down the Department's neck to do things a certain way. The only good outcome he said came out of it was allllot of OT.

And to answer your question, EXNYPD, seems like business as usual. But if they offered me the job tommorow, I'd still jump for it.

Here found the result of the case. Went all the way to the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1999, and was dismissed.

http://cases.justia.com/us-court-of-appeals/F3/180/42/486228/

[fedny]

"assistant attorney general for civil rights Deval Patrick replied with an exceedingly tendentious letter in which he refused to rebut the professor's arguments in detail. He blandly asserted, without offering evidence, that the Nassau test would "improve the police department."

What a fu@#ing joke. Has it improved??? I don't think so. My uncle is a Detective Sergeant and taught in the Nassau Police academy for years. He told me since the DOJ got involved the recruits have been terrible. Not only did he have to teach them police procedures, but also the basic skills needed to write and form complete sentences. The officers on the street are scared to work with these guys, and I can't blame them. So much for most qualified for the job.