Problems persistent at police station, union head says

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Problems persistent at police station, union head says

The Journal News*

By Theresa Juva • The Journal News • May 30, 2008

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RYE - The city police commissioner said mold and other problems at

police headquarters have been fixed, but the head of the police

union said he doesn't think the issues have been fully corrected.

Rye Police Association President Franco Compagnone said that

although cells have been cleared of office storage and prisoners no

longer have to be handcuffed to handrails, it was unclear whether

the mold and asbestos found at the station have been eliminated.

An inspector from the state Commission of Correction visited 21

McCullough Place in March in response to union complaints.

An examination found that cells were being improperly used to store

office supplies and prisoners were being handcuffed to handrails

because the holding pen was broken.

Building inspections conducted by the city also have shown asbestos

and mold at the station. Mold in one office has forced the

department's records officer, Groglio, to work outside in a

trailer since 2006.

This month the union announced a vote of " no confidence " in the

commissioner and city manager stemming from the conditions at the

station.

Commissioner Connors said yesterday that repairs to the

building's air conditioning ventilation had eliminated the mold and

that a cleaning crew had gotten rid of the asbestos.

" There was a very small amount of asbestos in the dust, " Connors

said. " They wiped down the desk and lobby areas. "

Compagnone said the cleaning was insufficient and that tests weren't

conducted afterward to verify the asbestos was gone.

" They still haven't removed the computers and the laptops, " he

said. " We have a cabinet system, and everything there is enclosed.

It's been pointed out by a sergeant in charge of the computers that

it is highly likely there is asbestos in the computers. "

He contended that even though the department installed a new holding

pen for prisoners before they are booked, " the door still isn't

secure " and " if you grab it a certain way, you can lift it off the

sliding (track). "

Compagnone said renovations were finished on Groglio's office months

ago, but he was still working in the trailer. Connors said the

department is waiting for new furniture for the renovated office.

City Manager Shew said " to the best of our knowledge, no one

has been exposed to anything dangerous " and the $1 million

renovations give officers " a much improved facility to work out of. "

Janine Kava, spokeswoman for the Commission of Correction, said a

facility planner visited the station May 12 and approved plans for

the holding-cell renovations. She said inspectors will return to

ensure the department has rectified the problems the commission

uncovered, though a date has not been set for that visit.

Reach Theresa Juva at 914-694-5012 or tjuva@....