Police Records Seized in Long Island Probe
The Wall Street Journal - May 9, 2012
Long Island investigators took seven boxes of police records from Southampton Town Hall on Wednesday morning in a raid linked to a corruption probe.
Detectives from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office arrived with a subpoena to remove the records over questions about their “custodianship and status,” according to a statement released by District Attorney Thomas Spota.
The files had been removed from police headquarters last year after Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst said she received reports of document shredding. The reports emerged during a leadership transition, with Southampton Police Chief James Overton passing leadership of the 90-person force to the current chief, William Wilson.
A spokesman for the district attorney’s office said Throne-Holst cooperated with the investigation and declined to comment further.
Throne-Holst said she received reports that personnel and internal investigation records “were being either destroyed or moved out of the building” as Overton left office. She stressed in an interview Wednesday that the allegations haven’t been substantiated.
Overton and Wilson didn’t immediately return calls on Wednesday.
The investigation comes days after the Southampton Town Board suspended a veteran police officer, Lt. James Kiernan, on disciplinary charges. Throne-Holst said she couldn’t disclose the charges or say whether they were related to probe into the files.
“I don’t know if there is a direct correlation or not at this point, but clearly there’s a lot going on,” she said.
The town board called a special meeting on Friday to suspend Lt. Kiernan, a former head of the department’s undercover drug crime unit. His attorney, Raymond Perini, said he expects his client to be exonerated after a hearing.
“Lt. Kiernan’s been a very dedicated and very decorated officer for 15 years with Southampton Town,” he said. “He has absolutely no prior complaints.”
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Dedicated? Dedicated officers enforce the law. This officer assisted with my former husband Mike Figat. On Feb.14th.2011 I have the documentary proof.(Sent to this website).
Showing this officer Kiernan participated in staging an auto accident in Hampton Bays. Involving my son Brian. Whose 2008 Ford Focus was intentionally totaled. For the purpose of Insurance Fraud GEICO. Son still without a car. Received zero from GEICO. Accident planned by his own father Mike Figat. Who filed numerous claims against GEICO. By using various forms of sons name & the accident.
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