This guy has to go... do we have to wait until all his cronys are in place so he can keep abusing the office even when he's gone.

It's time!

It's about time! From today's Jersey Journal:

Heat's on Troy, and blows hotter
Friday, March 10, 2006
E ver since Jersey City Councilman Steve Fulop called in January for the firing of Police Chief Robert Troy because of an increase in violent crime, the news has not helped the chief's position of security.

Lawsuits were filed by Sgt. Valerie Montone and Police Officer Marisa Johnston accusing Troy of waging a campaign of sexual discrimination and exacting punishment for political and personal reasons. The women say they complained through numerous internal filings over the years but that their complaints went nowhere.

Then came the news that 12-year police veteran Detective Mark Razzoli had filed his own lawsuit. Razzoli claimed police superiors violated his constitutional right to free speech by "unofficially" demoting him and moving him down the department's seniority list because he supported Assemblyman Louis Manzo during the November 2004 mayoral election.

The courts will decide the veracity of the charges, but Troy did not help himself in the court of public opinion when he went on vacation earlier this month and chose his chief of staff, Lt. Tom Comey, to fill in for him as "chief."

On the day Troy left, The Jersey Journal reported that the State Police are reviewing a Jersey City-based private security company owned by Comey's wife. While police officers are banned from owning security firms, their spouses and relatives are not. The State Police are looking at the role a police civilian employee - a retired cop - plays in the security firm, where he also works.

The next day, Comey stepped down, after less than 48 hours as acting chief, and was replaced by Deputy Chief Peter Nalbach. Yet, Comey sat as chief long enough to promote Police Officer Joe Olszewski to sergeant. Troy says he has passed over Olszewski in recent rounds of promotions because of an investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office into allegations that the officer made illegal use of police computers.

Some observers say it may have had more to do with Olszewski serving as chief of staff to former state Assemblyman and Bayonne Councilman Anthony Chiappone, an opponent of Bayonne Mayor and state Sen. Joseph Doria and of the Hudson County Democratic Organization. Critics charge that Troy did not need a potential fourth political harassment lawsuit, and so the appointment was made.

No matter the outcome of the lawsuits, there is a sense that Troy's days as chief are numbered. As with the mayor's State of the City message, perhaps it is time for the chief to provide his vision for the future - other than possible retirement.

From today's JJ. When Troy was on vacation he appointed Comey to fill in as chief. Comey used the opportunity to promote an officer currently under investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office. The police dept is getting too top heavy. We need more cops on the streets, and if you are to believe merits of the recent lawsuits - no more promotions based on politics:

Officer boosted to sergeant by top cop's fill-in
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
By JARRETT RENSHAW
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Lt. Tom Comey served less than 48 hours as acting police chief, but he managed to leave a mark.

Once in charge, Comey promoted Police Officer Joe Olszewski to sergeant, a move Chief Robert Troy appeared reluctant to do himself in recent months. Troy left for vacation Thursday and picked Comey as the acting chief.

Troy has said he passed over Olszewski in the most recent round of promotions due to an investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office into his alleged illegal use of the department's computers.

However, critics argued the snub had more to do with politics.

Olszewski served as chief of staff to former Assemblyman and Bayonne City Councilman Anthony Chiappone, an opponent of Bayonne Mayor and state Sen. Joseph V. Doria Jr. and the rest of the Hudson County Democratic Organization.

His wife is former Jersey City Corporation Counsel Karen DeSoto, who ran unsuccessfully against Michael Sottolano - an ally of Mayor Jerramiah Healy - in the Ward A City Council race last year.

Only in Jersey City could Troy still have his job! Fulop was right on asking for Troy's resignation.

Quote:

[quote]
Jake wrote:
Jersey City resident and Hudson County DFA member Thurman Hart weighs in on this blatant conflict of interest at
hudsontammany.blogspot.com



that guy has a great blog
With the constant press reports of Troy and his cronie's,i don't know how the mayor can keep him around.This week the Jersey Journel did a story on how the state police are investigating Troys buddy Lt Comey for his security side jobs.

Jersey City resident and Hudson County DFA member Thurman Hart weighs in on this blatant conflict of interest at hudsontammany.blogspot.com. Check it out.

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Regardless of whether he planned to stay or not, Troy has to decide what he wants. Stay, or retire. Either way, crime is going up and we need someone to tackle the problem head on. If Troy can't commit to JC, then he should leave so we can bring someone in who will be committed to the City and to decreasing crime.

Robert Troy is one of the authors of the ordinance, so it is approprate for him to answer questions on it.

Quote:

I like the fact that Steve Fulop is stirring the pot but if this is a legal activity there is no reason why Robert Troy would address the issue in a public forum.

The ordinance will NOT be on voted on tonight.

From today's JJ:

The ordinance was to be voted on at tonight's City Council meeting, but was tabled after some cops complained about the rates - $25 an hour for inside work, $35 an hour for outside work...




Quote:

This is from Today's Jersey Journal:

TROY-FULOP STANDOFF
Councilman wants chief, aide grilled about security firm
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Two weeks after demanding the resignation of Police Chief Robert Troy, Downtown Councilman Steven Fulop is demanding he come before the City Council and answer questions about an "ethical cloud" hanging over the Police Department.

"The man should put his tail between his legs and show up in two weeks" to the City Council's next caucus, Fulop said at Monday night's caucus.

Fulop wants Troy to answer questions about his chief of staff, Lt. Tom Comey, whose wife owns and operates Direct Response, a Jersey City-based security firm, as reported in Monday's edition of The Jersey Journal.

In Fulop's mind, Phyllis Comey's ownership of the company is a thin dodge by Tom Comey to get around a state law barring police officers from running private security companies.

"The fact he would put his wife, who is a beautician, into this position wreaks of subversion," Fulop said.

Fulop - who called for Troy's ouster two weeks ago because of rising crime -- asked City Council President Mariano Vega to invite both Troy and Comey to the Feb. 20 caucus to answer questions about the security firm and about an ordinance, drafted by Troy and Comey, that would govern security jobs taken by off-duty cops.

Under Jersey City's form of government, Troy answers to the mayor, not the City Council.

Yesterday, Troy said he had no intention of appearing at a City Council meeting to answer questions from Fulop about Direct Response.

"I know for a fact that her husband is not running a business. That's Phyllis Comey's business," Troy said, adding Fulop's assertion that Phyllis Comey isn't running the security firm smacked of sexism.

Troy said he was already scheduled to meet with City Council members in early March about crime statistics and crime-fighting tactics - but that timetable might be stepped up.

Tom Comey didn't return phone calls yesterday, while Phyllis Comey responded "no comment" to several questions.

So I don't live in JC (I'm considering moving there though) and I'm not going to report this for any kind of investigation especially since it seems like it's most likely legal. But if any residents want to reccomend an investigation try:

NJ State Commission of Investigation (No prosecutorial powers)
http://www.state.nj.us/sci/newindex.shtm

or

the US Attorney for the district of NJ (Chris Christie)
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nj/

or

NJ Attorney General
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/

I would try them in that order.

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Is there no ethics board that can look into this.Is there even an ethics board in Jersey City.Who would appoint the member's?

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I'd like the next police chief to be appointed as a result of a nationwide search. If the best candidate is not a close friend of the Mayor, so be it.

This is the second reading on the agenda for the Wednesday city council meeting 2.8.06:

a.
Ordinance supplementing Chapter 3 (Administrative Code) Article XI (Department of Police) of the City of Jersey City establishing the procedure and fees for providing Off-Duty Police Officers for special detail assignments.
Ord. 06-009

Does Troy benefit from this new ordinance if it is passed after he retires and presumably works with this wife officially?

The issue has to be a little bit larger than Chief Troy...

I posted this on the other Troy thread, regardless..

This discussion highlights the fact that Police Chief Troy had not planned on serving the duration of Healy's administration instead retiring after a year and a half or so.

Under the shortened Cunningham administration, there were two police chiefs and another under Acting Mayor Smith's, so we are looking forward to #5 in a little more than 5 years.

Not too much stability for the Police Department with "musical Police Chiefs".

Why? Besides politics, do these short term appointments help inflate the retirement pensions, for those just shy of retirement?

I would like to see the next Police Chief commit to serving until the end of the administration.



Quote:

I think the real issue is, if Troy would spend less time facilitating special arrangements for his cronies and more time protecting and serving, crime in Jersey City would be dropping, as it should be. This is despicable behavior, and these kinds of shenanigans should no longer be tolerated.

DanL-
I certainly don't tolerate corruption. Furthermore, using a position of public service for personal gain is reprehensible. The vote actually went 7-0-2 with only Councilwoman Richardson and I abstaining for the first reading. I felt uncomfortable with it even for a first reading as the ordinance was written by Chief Troy and Comey without input from Police Union leadership which made me suspicious. I am happy that my voting record shows this.
___________________________

There is another article in the jersey Journal today that mentions this. I have copied and pasted the language directly from the article in today's paper below

The introduction passed 7-0-2 with Downtown Councilman Steve Fulop and Ward F Councilwoman Viola Richardson abstaining.

Fulop, who has called for Troy's resignation due to what he describes as a surge in serious crime, said he wanted to speak with union police leaders before voting for the ordinance.

Richardson said she needed more information about the new system.

What did Councilman Fulop say when the ordinance was introduced at the first reading?

Fulop made no reference to this issue in his call for Troy's resignation. Maybe he was too busy grandstanding to pay attention to ordinances coming before him to vote on.

Councilman Fulop could also make a public call for the Ethics Board to be constituted.

Lt. Tom Corney (major supporter of the chief) and Police Chief Troy have crafted an ordinance that will govern how officers receive overtime pay. Tom Corney's wife owns a security firm that employs off duty officers, so his wife would directly benefit from passage of the ordinance.

What they are trying to do is not very subtle, and could only happen in Jersey City!

This will be voted on at the city council meeting tonight. Lets ask our councilman to do the right thing and reject the ordinance.

SECURE THAT HER FIRM
IS LEGAL Top-ranking cop's wife runs company
Monday, February 06, 2006
By JARRETT RENSHAW
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
State law prohibits police officers from running private security firms - but not their spouses.

In Jersey City, a top-ranking policeofficer's wife operates a security firm that has employed off-duty city cops and has received contracts from a politically connected developer, as well as with the contractor that operates the light rail.

Lt. Tom Comey, chief of staff to Police Chief Robert Troy, helped write an ordinance that governs how the police department handles private security jobs. The ordinance is slated to go for a final vote before City Council on Wednesday.

His wife, Phyllis Comey, runs Jersey City-based Direct Response Inc., a 60-person private security firm created in March 1998.

The Private Detective Act of 1939 prohibits cops from running private security firms, but the law doesn't bar spouses or other officers' relatives from doing so. The law was enacted largely to prevent conflicts of interest within police departments, according to the state Attorney General's Office.

The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, the New Jersey State Police and the State Attorney General's Office declined to comment on the ethics of the situation.

Councilwoman Viola Richardson, a retired police officer, said it may be legal, but presents a number of questions. "It sure looks improper, even if it is legal," Richardson said.

Phyllis Comey, a former paralegal and beautician, said she founded the company because she wanted a new challenge after her children left the nest.

She said Tom Comey gave her his "blessing," but has nothing to do with the company.

"I work nine, 10 hour days," he said. "I don't have the time, nor the energy, to be involved in the business."

Phyllis Comey said her husband keeps a safe distance from the company's operations, but she said as a married couple, they "talk about everything," and that he drops by the office "all the time."

"On his day off he will file some checks or clean out the closet. We're married and we don't like to be apart that often," she said.

Tom Comey said, "what I do on my day off is my business."
For professional advice, she says she has hired consultants.

She said her firm has employed off-duty Jersey City police officers, but only in limited roles - such as directing traffic at construction sites.

She refused to provide the names of the firms she provides security for, but The Jersey Journal has learned Direct Response provides security at a New Jersey Transit work yard for 21st Century Rail, which has an operation management contract with NJ Transit.

It also was hired to provide security at the Beacon, the luxury condominium development at the site of the former Jersey City Medical Center.

State law requires security firms to have a "qualifier" - someone with either law enforcement experience or otherwise qualified to manage the business.

Phyllis Comey first partnered in 1998 with Gabriel Calabrese, a retired Jersey City police officer, who was later replaced as the qualifier by former Jersey City Police Officer John Salmon.

Salmon is now an identification officer with the department's Bureau of Criminal Investigations - a civilian title allows him to work for a security firm.