Wallkill Wide Open

                    

Dan Depew Supervisor            Robert Hertman Chief of Police      

 

Dear Nieces and Nephews, the following information is of a sensitive nature and those of you who are prone to disbelief will definitely be shaking your heads. To tell the story properly, we must first review how we arrived at the events transpiring today.

Over 10 years ago the Town of Wallkill was in trouble with the Feds.

“Why, Auntie?” You say.

Because in 2001, there were complaints of (some) members of the Wallkill Police Department engaging in conduct not befitting a  decent human being, let alone a Police Officer who is supposed to be held to a higher standard.

This behavior on the part of certain Wallkill PD members apparently started in the late 1990’s.

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/19/nyregion/seeing-lawless-police-behavior-state-files-civil-rights-complaint-against-small.html  
 

The NY Times article (in the quaint way that the NY Times seems to use whenever they discuss anything outside NYC borders) points out the following:

“The New York attorney general's office has filed a federal civil rights complaint yesterday against the small upstate town of Wallkill, charging that it has failed to corral a lawless police department whose officers pull over female drivers to solicit dates, refuse to cooperate with other law enforcement agencies, and systematically harass their many critics, from town officials to the local newspaper.”

Solicit dates? These bad cops were SEXUALLY HARASSING FEMALE CIVILIANS. In the 53 page US District Court, Southern District of NY Complaint and Jury Demand, (“Complaint”) the words “sexual favors” were added and also “retaliation”. Women who had been harassed by these bad cops maybe had the option of not going to Wallkill alone; but can you imagine the terror of a female resident of Wallkill who was harassed in such a manner? For a chilling report on the issue, see this from our local paper: (BTW- We miss Oliver and wish him well!) http://www.recordonline.com/article/20010211/News/302119995

A Federal monitor was appointed (Dean M. Esserman- 2001) and In 2002 the Times said things were improving:

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/16/nyregion/police-dept-in-wallkill-has-improved-monitor-says.html

By this time, Robert Hertman was the police Chief. He was appointed by the Wallkill Town Board to “Clean things up” and apparently doing that to the satisfaction of the Federal Monitor at the time.

But in May, (2002) the Town Board found out that Hertman failed his civil service test, where 21 other men passed, including two Wallkill sergeants. http://www.recordonline.com/article/20020726/News/307269999

Because of this, Hertman was appointed for one year supposedly. (He is still Chief in 2015)

The tide turned on Wallkill.

In 2004, the Wallkill Police Department was in violation of several components of the Federal Consent Decree.

“In a scathing review, Dean Esserman, the court-appointed federal monitor, faults police Chief Robert Hertman for lengthy delays in resolving civilian complaints and recommends an extension of the federal consent decree for another six months.” http://www.recordonline.com/article/20040818/News/308189996 

In 2006, PARC (Police Assessment Resource Center) was asked to  “Monitor first-of-its-kind consent decree between Town of Walkill, New York and New York State addressing a pattern of abuses of police authority.”  http://www.parc.info/wallkill/

“This is still history, Auntie, so why now?”

Because of the recently settled case and an outstanding case today. Because of a Town Board today, led by Danny Depew, that seems to be acting like the town board back then, either passively accepting the egregious behavior or actively condoning it.

Because the man brought into the Wallkill PD to “clean things up” is (allegedly) engaging in sexual discrimination and misconduct himself! He has allegedly taken this behavior to a whole new level and is accused of sexually harassing female police officers! (2012 and 2013). One case was settled, one is still outstanding.

“A second female police officer is suing the Town of Wallkill and Wallkill Police Department Chief Robert Hertman, accusing him of sexual harassment.”

http://www.recordonline.com/article/20130226/NEWS/302260332/

Many people dismiss this type of behavior as harmless because either they have never had it happen to them or perhaps, when they read about it, each event, taken on its own, doesn’t seem so terrible. “After all, what’s a hug? He was just being supportive.” (Don’t forget to turn on your sarcasm meter!)

But if it does happen to you, you see the look in the perpetrators eyes, you feel the full force of their intimidation and realize the control that they exert over you. And your level of fear rises. And if it’s your boss, you start to think how your very livelihood is threatened and maybe even your well-being. And some events taken on their own may not actually be that bad but when they are part of a pattern of behavior they help to create a hostile environment and rise to the level of harassment. Control and intimidation over time! Undue influence! This is like a male Human Resources Manager harassing female employees!!!

Such discriminatory, threatening behavior should not be tolerated, especially by the very people who are supposed to protect us!!! Especially by the very people that WE elect to ensure that such things do not happen!!!

But apparently, not in Wallkill.

Danny has hired an attorney Richard Guertin to conduct a “impartial” investigation. Guertin interviewed a number of officers but a report has yet to surface.

These are serious allegations and because of the sensitivity of the charges, the chief should be suspended with or without pay until all cases are settled; if he is in the role of Police Chief, he can still (allegedly) continue to intimidate the female officers! 

At least Wallkill, you will get a water park. We are so glad Danny has his priorities in line. Maybe Danny can settle the pending case by providing the female officers a free pass to the DannyWorld Water Park!

     

From the Town of Wallkill Re-organization meeting Jan 5 2015  

 please note that Danny was a Town Councilman 2002-2006