Calling
for action — PEF President Ken Brynien speaks at a press conference in Albany
demanding an investigation into the DOP. Also shown are Buffalo area PO Richard
Mata, Bronx area PO Michael Murphy, Albany area PO Ismael Cruz, and Council
Leader Manuelita Clemente.
Officers say DOP managers used dirty
tactics
Parole officers: Investigate our agency
Story and photo By DARCY WELLS
The state Division of Parole (DOP) spent more time trying to figure out if
parole officers were leaking information to the press than it spent trying to
make sure dangerous parolees were being properly monitored.
That was the basis for a press conference held on the Capitol steps May 9.
“We are here to demand a federal investigation into the dirty tactics used by
parole managers to closely monitor parole officers,” said PEF Division 236
Council Leader Manuelita Clemente.
Last year, a series of news stories revealed convicted felons were violating
their conditions of parole while DOP managers looked the other way. DOP assigned
several supervisors to find out who was leaking the information to the press.
“That investigation was so heavy-handed,” Clemente said, “that supervisors used
agency subpoenas to access the personal phone records of state parole officers.
“We have information that leads us to believe they also used GPS devices on some
of our vehicles to track our every move. All this, at a time when supervisors
should have been concentrating on violating parolees who were committing serious
crimes,” Clemente added.
PEF President Ken Brynien told reporters the tactics used by parole managers was
a misuse of DOP resources.
“Managers wasted an incredible amount of time and energy conducting what amounts
to a witchhunt, trying to identify and punish a whistleblower who was attempting
to protect the public’s safety,” Brynien said.
“The new administration has disbanded the DOP’s Office of Professional
Responsibility which is a step in the right direction,” Brynien said. “Now, it’s
time to find out why this was allowed to happen and make sure those responsible
are held accountable,” he added.
The Communicator June 2007
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