Rights chief cites "civil rights problems"
By TOM RUE
MONTICELLO - Voicing concern that not enough is being done to curb abuses by village police, members of the Village of Monticello Human Rights Commission (HRC) asked chair Carl Silverstein to ask federal authorities to intervene.
At a November 8 at the Monticello neighborhood facility Silverstein numerous reports of excessive physical force against minorities by village police. One such instance was reportedly referred to a grand jury by district attorney Stephen F. Lungen.
That incident involved the beating of James Tomlinson by several Monticello police officers when Tomlinson went to pick up his daughter's bicycle from the police station and allegedly objected to being called names by the officers.
Lungen has not released a finding.
"I don't think the county's doing its job," said Silverstein, adding, "I think enough time's gone by for the DA's office to have done something."
Silverstein claimed a tactic sometimes used by district attorneys is to "let enough time go by that people lose consciousness of it, and then he no-bills it."
Commissioners asked Silverstein to contact the U.S. Department of Justice for whatever intervention.
Silverstein seeks help for
"civil rights problem"
U.S. Attorney
U.S. Courthouse Annex
One St. Andrew's Plaza
New York, NY 10007
Dear Ms. White:
I wish to bring to your attention, with the approval of our commission, a civil rights problem in the Village of Monticello.
It appears that there have been over 12 to 14 incidents of excessive force used by the Village of Monticello police in the last 12 months. There have also been allegations of innocent people being stopped on the street, and then sent on their way. There seems to be racial and ethnic overtones to the improprieties of some of these policemen. It also appears that the police chief has been powerless to stop this activity.
The Legal Aid Bureau Attorney assigned to the Village Court has indicated that she has had what she considers legitimate complaints in approximately one dozen cases, including one as recently as two weeks ago. There have been at least eight (8) notices of claim against the Village for abuse and harassment by these police, also within the last 12 months.
One of the matters was serious enough for the DA, who is very pro police, to order a Grand Jury investigation and recommend to the Police Chief and Village that two officers be placed on Desk Duty for at least one month.
Three of our Commission members appeared to have been given unusual attention by the police since we have made public our interest in these matters.
The situation is one which the Commission believes is not being adequately handled by the authorities and requests that your office undertake an investigation and take such action as may be appropriate.
Sincerely yours,
Village of Monticello Human Rights Commission
Carl J. Silverstein, Chair
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