In the third installment of the Taser Letters, today we look at a letter from Rye Police Commissioner William R. Connors to Thomas J. Troetti, lawyer for the Rye Police Association, dated May 4, 2009.
Love this is not. Connors responds–using force(ful language)–to the RPA's assertion it may need to use additional force. Check it out:
"With respect to your assertions… it is hard to contemplate a more inappropriate, ill advised comment than that from a police union or counsel… Your threat or suggestion that as a result of this Department's weapons deployment decisions, or the inability of you and your client to understand them, that PBA members may have to resort to more physical forces than is reasonably necessary is outrageous and would, if carried out, violate, among other things, the sworn oath of our officers."
Ouch! Read Taser Letter three – Page 1 and Page 2.
Don't know what it is like to be tasered? Watch this video of D-list celebrity Eric Estrada (yes, Ponch from CHiPs) being tasered. You can't make this stuff up.
What do you think? Leave a comment below.
Looks like The Commish is coming out ahead so far…
Can’t wait to see the PBA’s response.
PBA what a bunch of losers and liars!
Connors put the Tasers into the escalation of force policy. All Rye Police Officers have to abide by this policy. All Rye Police Officers were trained in the use of and deployment of the Tasers. Connors then chose to severely limit access to the Tasers by leaving them at Rye Police headquarters 90% of the time.
A Rye Police Officer was hurt one night in October by an alleged drug crazed suspect while the Taser sat at Rye Police headquarters. All of the Officers on the scene that night were 100% certain that had they had access to the Taser, this Officer would not have been injured.
Connors severely limiting access to the Tasers posed a threat to both Officer and civilian safety as well as exposing the Officers and the City of Rye to liability because he was severely limiting access to the very tool the Officers are mandated to use before using other means of force.
100%???
Right there you lose credibility.
Sorry.
No need to be sorry Guardian. I don’t want to get into a pissing match but you weren’t there nor have you talked to all of the Police Officers who were on the scene that night who had to arrest this violent, very large and strong, drug fueled suspect.
They all felt that had they had access to the Taser, this Officer would not have been injured. This was the informed judgments of on the scene, seasoned, veteran Police Officers trained in the use of, in the deployment of and the effects of the Taser.
I don’t know why you are disputing the professional judgments of the on the scene Officers, but the number is an absolute and a very credible 100%.
WOW- TALKING ABOUT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK! THIS COMMISSIONER THAT MIGHTY STEVE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING TO RYE HAS THE NERVE TO SPEAK ON TAKING THE OATH!!!
Connors Quote:
“With respect to your assertions… it is hard to contemplate a more inappropriate, ill advised comment than that from a police union or counsel… Your threat or suggestion that as a result of this Department’s weapons deployment decisions, or the inability of you and your client to understand them, that PBA members may have to resort to more physical forces than is reasonably necessary is outrageous and would, if carried out, violate, among other things, the sworn oath of our officers.”
How about with respect to your assertions. When I strongly and respectfully requested you have your officers do something about the speeding day in and day out on Midland Ave. your assertion to your officers was:
“GO OUT AND DO RADAR ON MIDLAND AVE. ONLY TO PROVE JIM AMICO WRONG”
AND IF I’M CORRECT DIDN’T YOU TAKE THE SAME OATH AS YOUR OFFICERS??? TELL ME WHAT IT IS THAT YOU DO THAT REPRESENTS THAT SAME VERY OATH YOU TOOK!!!
AND AREN’T YOU RESPOSIBLE FOR THE NYS STOP SIGN POLICY WE NOW HAVE IN RYE??? WHICH BY THE WAY MAKES IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYONE TO HAVE THEIR REQUEST FOR A STOP SIGN GRANTED!!
TELL ME AGAIN WHAT IS IT YOU DO THAT REPRESENTS THAT SAME VERY OATH YOU TOOK!!!
“TO PROTECT AND SERVE”…. THE ONLY THING YOU LOOK TO PROTECT AND SERVE IS YOUR OWN ASS(SALARY)!!!
Guardian,
You must be Mayor Otis or one of the city councilmen that the Rye Police keep safe at night in their quite little community of Rye N.Y. Maybe one day, one of our NY City crack heads will visit your quite little house and try to get some of that big time Westchester drug money.
Did you ever see what happens when you fight a drugged up crack head? You can break their arm and it doesn’t faze them in the least, they laugh and keep coming at you. Well I can tell you from experience, I would prefer to have them shooting taser cartridges in my home with my family present, rather than a nine millimeter slug. “Especially if they miss the target”
Of course the Taser would have helped. It would have helped tremendously. But you can say — UNEQUIVICOBLY — that NO officers would have been injured??? I do not know any LEOs that would make that statement. The Taser is not a magic wand (as Thomas A. Swift would have you think).
So the issue I have with your statement is that the officers are 100% sure that no officer would have been injured if the Taser was available.
Guardian:
I agree with you 100%.
100% ??? I take exception to that! LOL x 100
And to think that Connors, Culross and Nodarse tried to sneak by the Rye City Council and the public that there were no substantive comments received from the Rye PBA on this issue prior to the City Council voting on the revised taser policy. They actually wrote this in the City Council agenda.
Perhaps Connors, Culross and Nodarse didn’t know that the City Council had been provided with all of the background and the PBA’s issues with Connors recklessness that was threatening Officer safety and risking liability to the City of Rye and the Officers.
Despite this only Councilman Sack brought up the fact that there was very substantive information provided by the Rye PBA which made Connors once again look like a complete fool.
Excuse me, but the military did a lot less to the “detainees” and they have been accused of “torture”. Give the Liberals/civil liberties union etc. enough time, and they will have all tasers taken away and look out for the law suits!
Franco…your silence is deafening…
TOMORROW @ 11am I will be on “The Midday with Meg” Miller Show. 1460am on the radio or http://www.wvox.com and you can call in with any questions or comments 914 636 0110. The entire hour is dedicated to the subject of Jarrid’s accident and my fight for a simple stop sign and street safety and the lack there of in the City of Rye. I can’t fight this fight alone. I need your help. Lets all show Jarrid how much he is loved and missed by calling in. Please tell everyone in Rye that you know about this.
The Journal News has a want ad for the police commish. job in the City of Rye.
Is this comment for real? In what day’s papers?
Yes for real. It’s in todays The Journal News page 2 f
It’s also on the city of rye web site.
http://www.ryeny.gov/HumanResources/EmploymentInfo.htm
It’s about time this useless creature got fired. What a waste of a life this guy is.
WHAT TIME DOES THE PARADE START???
They say timing is everything….hey isn’t there an election right around the corner?
Another reason that Otis must go! Not only was he responsible for bringing this useless individual to Rye but he is looking to repeat the same mistake!
We don’t want or need another Commissioner!
We should not need to look anyfurther than with in our own P.D. and bring back the Label of Chief of Police!
When will the Merry Go Round of BULLSHIT END!!!
OUR CHILDREN NEED COMPETENT INDIVIDUALS NOW….. THEIR LIVES DEPEND ON IT!!!!
“Current job opportunities offered by the City of Rye as of June 22, 2009. Expressions of interest must be submitted no later than July 6, 2009”:
“Police Commissioner
The successful candidate will be responsible for the management of municipal police department serving a complex suburban community of approx. 15,000 residents. Applicants should possess advanced degree (J.D., M.B.A. or M.A. in Criminal Justice or related field preferred); at least 15 years experience as a police supervisor, with at least 10 years as a Chief or Deputy Chief in comparable setting, or in ranks of Captain or above in major metropolitan police department; and advanced police management training such as FBI National Academy, Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar, or comparable programs. Advanced training in personnel and labor relations, or equivalent experience is preferred, and knowledge of the NY State Law Enforcement Accreditation process. The candidate will be expected to have a proven track record of community involvement, and to participate actively in professional organizations as well as in community organizations within the City of Rye. Upon hiring, the candidate must live within 10 miles of the City. Salary $100,000+. To apply, forward resume and cover letter, including names and contact information for at least 3 references, no later than July 6, 2009, to Police Commissioner Search, Office of the City Manager, City of Rye, 1051 Boston Post Road, Rye, NY 10580”.
I’M CURIOUS….WERE THESE SAME REQUIREMENTS NEEDED WHEN CONNORS APPLIED???? IF SO – HOW THE HELL DID HE GET HIRED AND WHY WASN’T HE ARRESTED FOR FALSIFYING HIS RESUME???
NOVEMBER CAN’T COME FAST ENOUGH!!!
THIS ADMINISTRATION IS A F***ING JOKE!!!!!!!
SHEW,CONNORS,—YOUR NEXT STEVE!
BYE,BYE STEVE!!!