MONTICELLO -- A conversation took place in the Monticello police station last Sunday. One participant was mayor Robert Friedland, a 20-year police veteran. The other two were village officers on duty.
Exactly what was said and what was meant remains uncertain, but what it is clear is the depth in which some Monticello police officers -- including the chief -- have mired themselves in politics.
It boils down to the word of two veteran officers against a junior member of the force. Police officer Carlo Pittaluga, who has 18 years in, as much as called Monticello police chief Michael Brennan a liar, referring to a memo that Brennan privately released sent to village manager David Berner on March 4. The memo contained gossip about a March 3rd conversation which was damaging to Friedland. The memo is based on hearsay.
Berner said he interviewed Friedland and Brennan. He said he would not release Brennan's memo, calling it "a personnel matter." Berner would not divulge what either official said.
The village attorney reportedly labeled the memo confidential, but it was in the hands of Republican party officials on the afternoon of March 5 and has been publicized on the radio and in the press. Also, officer Pittaluga gave an exclusive interview to The River Reporter when a reporter went to his home.
The second officer -- a Youngsville resident -- has an unlisted phone number and could not be reached.
Brennan described himself as "enraged" over the incident.
Pittaluga, in an interview on March 5th, said he was reading Brennan's memo for the first time. "Every bit of it's fictitious and lies," he remarked.
Pittaluga said Friedland entered the village hall on March 3rd through the a door near the police station, and shortly prepared to leave with an armload of books. As Friedland was leaving, said Pittaluga, "Joe Cullen [an officer] started complaining about police procedures for junk car ordinances. Cullen entered him [Friedland] into a conversation." Brennan says otherwise in the memo.
Pittaluga concurred with Brennan's statement that Friedland commented on his perception that several vocal officers in the department are fighting his re-election as mayor. But Pittaluga said Brennan's report of the specifics were inaccurate.
Pittaluga said of Friedland, "He was trying to tell Joe [Cullen], 'I'm not a bad guy.' He said, 'How do you think I should feel?' My own organization [the Monticello Police Benevolant Association (PBA)] is paying for a lawsuit against me."
Publicly available minutes of a May 1993 meeting of the Sullivan County Action Coalition (SCAC) reveal that the PBA contributed $100 to a legal fund used to pay local lawyer Loran Shlevin to help oust the police's own superiors from office in a lawsuit over the "musical chairs" incident.
Contacted Tuesday afternoon, PBA president John Reigler said calls from the media about Brennan's memo were being referred to PBA attorney Loran Shlevin.
Called at her office, Shlevin left a reporter on hold for a half-hour. She then hung up the phone twice, refusing to comment. Her only remark was to blame the reporter for showing Friedland minutes whch evidenced the PBA's donation toward her legal fees in the "musical chairs" case.
Reigler expressed dismay at Shlevin's reaction, noting she had directed that calls be referred to her. After Shlevin's refusal to speak on behalf of her clients, Reigler and police officer Brent Buckles were interviewed.
Buckles identified himself as PBA treasurer, but claimed he couldn't remember whether the PBA ever donated to Shlevin's "musical chairs" legal bill. He also claimed not to recall in what year he became treasurer. Upon being showed the minutes, Reigler claimed he union had been unaware of the money's intended purpose.
In addition to noting the $100 donation, the minutes report: "Victor Gordon stated that two Monticello cops came to him to let him know they were interested in what he and his group were doing and that if he was going to be doing petitions they would be glad to take them around for him."
Pittaluga said he remembered the donation, but added that, at the time, he thought it was unusual at the time. "I wasn't one that voted on it. I can tell you that," he said.
Pittaluga disputed Brennan's assertion in the memo that Friedland threatened to sue anyone -- much less the PBA.
"I don't know why a lawyer is being retained by my organization," said Pittaluga. "I have no idea... Even the fact of paying a lawyer for something like this boils my blood," said Pittaluga.
Upon reading the assertion in Brennan's memo that Friedland said that officers should not display Kenny bumper stickers or signs on their private vehicles or property, Pittaluga disagreed. "He [Friedland] said police shouldn't be involved in politics. He didn't mention anyone in particular."
Pittaluga was Friedland's police partner for 10 years. "There's only six of us left that worked with him. Everybody else is new," said Pittaluga, who said he could not pinpoint when the PBA turned against Friedland.
"When he first got elected trustee [in 1990], I think everybody supported him," said Pittaluga.
"He [Friedland] made a statement [on March 3rd] that he's trusted me all his life. Ten minutes later in the locker room it was, 'Oh, he'll lie for him," Pittaluga said. "As soon as Bobby [mayor Friedland] talks, when somebody hears him who doesn't like him, right wasy it's twisted around. Everything that I heard everybody speaking about was totally out of context."
Pittaluga clarified that Friedland did not threaten to abolish the Monticello police departnement, as Brennan's memo asserts. Instead, Friedland reportedly noted that some constituents had urged him to examine consolidating police services -- merging village police with the county sheriff's office.
Pittaluga said he doesn't care who wins the mayoral election: "I vote and I believe in voting. If we have a new mayor, or an old mayor, we have constituents like yourself who go to meetings. It really doesn't matter who's in there. I believe that whoever's in office will do the best of their ability."