Obviously I should check the online edition of the Courier
in the evening before writing my blog for the next morning. If so today I would
have featured (?) an extended version of this blog instead of one about climate
and our physical violent earth, much less than its dominant animal, Homo
Sapiens.
This morning’s Courier brought me back to a reality that I
have expounded frequently in recent months; where is the promised forensic audit
of Plainfield’s finances for the last few years.
Yes Administration must request the funds for it. We are now
beginning the 10th month of the Mapp Administration. Of course it is
inconceivable that this Council dominated by handpicked ward representatives would
ever consider any action that might lead to exposure of significant financial
irregularities by an administration headed by City Democrat Party Chairman’s protégé,
Sharon Robinson-Briggs.
Indeed as of last month’s Council meeting the only
indication was that a Consultant was still trying to unravel the financial
quirks in the Recreation Division.
I was greeted when I opened the Courier with the headline “Plainfield Officers Accused of Faking Overtime”. Two publicly respected members of the Department had falsely billed, one whose base salary was $99,584.00 for over $6800 total in 2012/13. The other a Lieutenant with a base salary of$118.492.00 billed for overtime services $4,200.00+ over the same 2 year time period.
Let us not forget that by contract these officers receive health
and dental insurance packages whose financial equivalent is the envy of all us
taxpayers. Yet they resorted to what in
effect for them was penny larceny.
Could this have been the tip of an iceberg? The Director of
Public Safety also acted as the civilian head of the Police Department of which
for political reasons the post of Police Chief was abolished.
That individual not only was not a local resident during his
8 years but the later part of his term lived in another state. He also was not
without scandal for which his punishment was a wet noodle whipping.
There had been indications of improper use of municipal
funds and the lack of accountability. If Plainfield is unwilling to proceed
with the needed audit; is there not a Federal or State agency that should take the
lead.
Since elections are only a month away I am sure that none
will want to rock the boat. It may be up to us voters.
What is alarming about these charges is that the "internal affairs" bureau was on a witch hunt to get these two officers. The PPD has long had sloppy paperwork but to single out these two officers for what turns out to be a pittance shows how corrupt internal affairs is. If a mistake was made in time-sheets, which happens OFTEN at PPD, then the time sheets should be corrected. Look at who is running some of the bureaus, do an audit of ALL the overtime sheets and then we will see the truth. Abney is a stand-up officer who has donated hundreds of hours to Plainfield and who probably has tons of comp time hours. If you divide up the amount purportedly taken, it adds up to $40 a week--that's not even an hour of police pay for a lieutenant. It doesn't make any kind of sense. Why would he deliberately falsify time sheets? It doesn't make sense to those of us who know the current "inmates running the asylum" at the PPD. That he pleaded not guilty so that he could clear his name in court shows that he cares about his career and I hope that he will blow the lid off the long-time sloppy practices of the PPD over the past several years. Other officers who have had a questionable time-sheet or something not signed off on correctly have been dealt with in-house and that's a fact. James Abney is one of our best police officers, and a high-ranking one at that. Why would he risk his career? The answer is, he wouldn't. He is a humble, smart, well-educated (Master's Degree) officer who would not jeopardize his career. I think the prosecutor better get ready to have egg on her face for believing the crap coming from those behind this smear from the PPD. When prosecutors load up dozens of charges that are virtually the same thing, it shows the weakness of the case. They won't get them on the most egregious ones, but will try to get them on some penny ante violation. The result is that the officer's career will be irreparably harmed, and the viciousness in the PPD will continue. I urge Mayor Mapp to do a serious audit of the PPD. I urge him to take hold of everything and hire an independent investigator to look at ALL the timesheets of EVERYONE. Riley can't do it because he is deeply connected with the county and he has put new people in charge of bureaus (internal affairs, administrative) that are not qualified in my opinion. When the truth about the sloppiness at PPD comes out, we will see the truth.
ReplyDeleteHellwig was asleep at the wheel while all the sloppiness / fudging with time went on. The one officer charged overtime to attend planning board meetings.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the officers having sex (during duty hours) with girlfriends at the hotel on Rt 22? What about the officers getting BJs in basements by hookers?
There is a lot of laxity because Hellwig was busy getting his own BJs.
There are people clocking in others in Public Works -- while people are doing drugs/drinking/doing other things than working.
Theft is theft. Falsehood is falsehood. No matter how petty. $40/week adds up. I put the blame on city management. People will do what you let them get away with.
They will probably get off, and Plainfield will get stuck with the bill when they counter-sue.
These two comments are anonymous ,therefore all alleged actions must be take with a grain of salt since there is noway to verify accuracy. This does not mean that they are false, but facts must be attested as to the truth anbd that cannot be done b y an anonymoujs communicztion.
ReplyDelete