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3 Cops Suspended over Facebook Flap
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3 cops on Facebook suspended
The Journal News • February 26, 2009
Posted on: LoHud.com
HARRISON - Three Harrison cops and the code enforcement officer have been exchanging sexual jokes about the town supervisor and engaging in other locker-room banter on their Facebook pages, with one detective making racist remarks about President Barack
Joan Walsh, the 74-year-old supervisor, who recently got a hold of the Internet postings, isn't amused and said yesterday that she was consulting with attorneys to determine what action to take.
"I am appalled with their juvenile behavior," Walsh said. "There will be a response."
The remarks were posted between November and February by Detectives Rich Light and Frank Massaro, Officer Mike DiLauria, Code Enforcement Officer Ed DiBuono and others. They could be seen publicly because Light and DiBuono's Facebook pages were not set to "private."
On Nov. 5, Light writes of Obama's victory that "the rose garden will be turned into the watermelon garden," that there will be a "KFC set up right in front of the white house," and that "barack stated that he may not be able to fix the american economy, but he's pretty sure he can (racial epithet) rig it."
Many of the exchanges center on Walsh, who has clashed with the Police Department in the past. She is made an object of ridicule.
Light, on his profile page, calls himself a "Joan Walsh Hater," followed by an abbreviation for an expletive. He keeps a running countdown of her days remaining in office, to which Town Clerk Joseph Acocella replies "LOL," for "laugh out loud."
Light also posts a suggestive picture and says it's the supervisor's private parts, and he participates in a series of Walsh-bashing exchanges that are sometimes led by DiBuono.
When DiBuono writes about the supervisor not showing up to a meeting because "I kept her up late. Scrumptuous," Light replies with his own sexual comment.
DiBuono writes of dreaming of Walsh, to which DiLauria responds, "AHHHH Moaning and Joaning," and firefighter Ray Colasacco writes "How were your dreams last night?"
In another entry, Massaro writes, "Ed, how do you do it, manage to work and keep Joan happy with the constant attention, coffee pick ups, lunches, and quickies in the bathroom at the Town house. Salute. You must be eating Viagras like tick-tacs."
As if there's any doubt whom they're referring to, DiBuono at one point states, "when you see references to 'Joan' that is our mayor."
DiBuono also writes about having weekly lunches with his "homeboys": Police Chief David Hall, Town Attorney Frank Allegretti and Deputy Town Attorneys Jonathan Kraut and Fred Castiglia. "Here's the best (expletive) part," DiBuono writes. "Never had a woman attend."
Last month, Light posted a photo of a robbery suspect, characterizing him as someone who "likes beating up old people during home invasions."
The supervisor said she learned of the postings Sunday and has reached out to legal counsel.
"I realize this is not reflective of our entire police force, but such behavior must be addressed," Walsh said. "I will be in touch with the chief."
The chief said yesterday that he was upset with the officers, but uncertain he could do anything about their comments.
"Obviously, I don't like it, but I don't know what I could do about it relative to discipline," Hall said. "I can't believe people would waste their time and energy writing these comments in Facebook. It's locker-room nonsense and it's not the right thing to do, but it's freedom of speech."
DiBuono, reached late yesterday, said, "If Joan thinks this is newsworthy, I have no comment. I'm sorry I don't have a First Amendment right to my free speech."
Light, Massaro and DiLauria were not immediately available for comment.
Reach Shawn Cohen at spcohen@lohud.com or 914-694-5046.
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Original Story:Racist Comments on Cops' Facebook Pages Alarm Town
Officials in a suburban New York town are consulting outside lawyers to determine what they can do about racist and sexist comments appearing on police officers' Facebook pages.
One Harrison detective reportedly made watermelon and fried chicken jokes about President Obama. He and others reportedly ridiculed the town mayor, Joan Walsh, with sexual comments.
Calls to Walsh were referred Thursday to town attorney Bob Palladino. She told The Journal News, “I am appalled with their juvenile behavior.”
Palladino said town board members will meet Thursday night with lawyers hired to advise them about what if any discipline is appropriate. He said the town has to be sure it can differentiate between what the officers themselves posted and what might have been posted by others on the officers' pages.
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