Larry, Where Are You?

[firstamendment]

I don't think Cerminaro is taking up the ambulance cause, and Brooks' agenda, per se. I think he is looking at it from the financial angle of the revenue stream and what hole it puts in their budget.

I forwarded Larry's link about cities not supposed to be profitting from the ambulance to Cerminaro, the Corporation Counsel, Joleen Ferris, Dan Miner and the State AG's office. I received back replies from Cerminaro and Miner that they'd look into it.

Roefaro played on fears to run with. Lets see. An investigation (witchhunt) into Chief Pylman. Using the murder of Off. Lindsey as a means to prove the city wasn't safe in his hands. The campaign promise he HAD a Master Plan while campaigning. The list goes on. Roefaro had the backing of the public safety unions. How hard do you think he negotiated with them as mayor on behalf of the taxpayers?

Keep in mind, once he was elected, the Pylman investigation disappeared, they made a closed door settlement to buy out his contract and the public didn't hear about it until about 6 months later. Then we end up with a suprise candidate for police chief, La Bella. A James St. substation that cost TRIPLE the initial estimates and is virtually NEVER open. Lets not forget what happened on the watch of the unqualified Chief. A murder/suicide involving one of his own officers and friends. Yeah, they made the city safer alright. Safer for who is the question.

No, I don't live in the city anymore and apologies to those members here that do and everybody else in the city. But I hope the Palumbo family win their lawsuit with respect to the Longo murder/suicide. Yes, it will probably put a huge burdon on the taxpayers, but I want to see Roefaro and La Bella BURN for this. They played fast and loose like they owned this city and their negligence played a role. Roefaro should have known La Bella was not qualified and La Bella should have done something to take the domestic complaint seriously. Perhaps nothing could have prevented it, but what little they did or didn't do amounted to nothing and they are negligent. I am tickled to know they are also named personally in the suit.

[Clipper]

I agree wholeheartedly FA. The friends and family plan, and members of the good old boys club, need to burn for their shenanigans and bullshit that contributed to the death of an innocent woman, and leaves two boys with no mother OR father. They protected and coddled a person with some serious emotional issues, and it exploded in a tragic way. Had they insisted on some of professional intervention for Longo, they might have prevented the incident, but who can say for sure. Covering their buddy's ass resulted in a murder suicide, and all as a result of the same old self serving political cronyism and crap that is ruining the city.

[firstamendment]

A lot of people have argued what more could an employer do to an employee in a similar situation. But what they fail to recognize is the police department has the priority of protecting the public first and foremost. A situation existed and they were well informed about it. Certain steps can be taking in terms of the domestic issue. However, this evolved into more than just a domestic issue. Longo pointed a gun at someone while working security at Proctor a few months before the murder/suicide. There were also other signs he was cracking. Protecting the public may very well mean removing an unstable officer from duty, or reassigned to a different duty. It is very well within the rights, and to be quite honest, a duty of a police dept to remove an officer who is unfit. It is their duty to ensure each and every officer is fit for duty. A police dept isn't just any other employer. They are THE employer who's job is it to prevent the very situation that ended up happening.

Could the dept., with 100% certainty, prevented the tragedy? No. Short of locking him up or killing him, no, nobody could. Someone who is determined or so emotionally unbalanced is going to do what they will do and it is nearly impossible to stop it. Could they have done more to assist him in dealing with his situation before it rose to this? Absolutely. The issue isn't could they have prevented it but could they have done more to try and prevent it.

A sad twist in it is that Longo's wife brought up his behaviors to the dept but did not want to make a formal complaint because she did not want to hurt his police career over it. She was concerned with her and the kids' safety but still was concerned with his professional career. Who knows, maybe by making a formal complaint she could have received an order of protection and kept him away. We'll never know.

[corner]

she wasnt that concerned about his career she was concerned he wouldnt be able to pay her mortgage or be entilted to half his pension which he would lose if fired. she was a cutthroat in court had his pay and pension nailed to the wall even though she made more money,, didnt deserve to die they both cheated on each other him with one in particular her with several

[Clipper]

Ah, that's the rest of the story. Damn Corner, you are a regular Paul Harvey of Clipper's Corner, hahaha. Good to have someone that has their "finger on the pulse of the city" lol. Thanks for the insight.

I think most people are under the impression that he was the bad guy and she was a poor innocent victim of abuse.

[corner]

i knew him as a stand up cop the domestic situation nobody could have guessed that he would lose it the court proceedings that day left him with little pay check he was being forced to pay mortgage on a house he wasnt living in add to that a drug addicted kid a wife who wanted his balls in a jar it added up badly but i cant see holding his supervisors responsible for hissensless act they took his guns gput him on a desk and ordered him to counseling now her cutthroat family wants to profit from it.( sometimes abuse cuts both ways) women have the unique ability in this area to prevail in court