Delaware County (NY) illegally employs all of its police force

I already wrote on this blog about the controversy with residency problems of former Deputy Sheriff Derek Bowie, the beater of women.

Former Delaware County (NY) Deputy Sheriff Derek Bowie who is involved so far in two lawsuits that I know of involving two look-alike women who he assaulted while claiming to be acting as Delaware County Deputy Sheriff - was residing in Broome County and had no right to be employed as Delaware County Deputy Sheriff, where such hiring is a condition of employment.

I filed a FOIL request with the Delaware County on April 29, 2016, by e-mail, asking to provide records of residency for all Deputy Sheriffs employed by the County, as well as other information about such Deputy Sheriffs, such as police academy training, Criminal Justice Department certification, Taser certification and pistol license.

Here is what the Delaware County answered me on June 3, 2016 - that is, within 25 business days, and not 5 business days, as required by the Freedom of Information Law:

So, let's see.

No residency information for ALL Deputy Sheriffs currently employed by Delaware County, NY. 

That means that ALL Deputy Sheriffs are employed - and are paid by the County, at taxpayers' expense, illegally.

There is no information on file with the County that Deputy Sheriffs are hired out of the civil service registry - which is also extremely interesting because, for example, Derek Bowie testified at a deposition that he was hired without even a written application, by "invitation" - obviously, because his uncle Jeff Bowie worked as a longtime DA/DSS Investigator in the Delaware County District Attorney's Office.

Delaware County refused to provide to me any information whether police officers employed by the county have:

(1) Taser certification;
(2) Criminal Justice Division certification, and
(3) whether they graduated from the police academy BEFORE they were hired.

The basis for the denial was, as the response indicates, New York "Civil Service Law 50-a".

There is no such statute in New York.

There is a statute, Civil RIGHTS Law 50-a, but that controversial statute prohibits only the release of records that are needed towards "performance evaluation" "towards continued employment".  So much for County Attorney's competency - he doesn't even know the name of the statute used to deny access to records under FOIL.

I was talking about conditions of hiring the officers in the first place:

(1) education;
(2) Criminal Justice Division certification, and
(3) Taser certification.

The records precluded for disclosure under Civil Rights Law 50-a are disciplinary records of police officers, not records regarding their education, training and certification.

By the way, the Delaware County also responded to me that it does not have on file the employed Deputy Sheriff's pistol licenses either:

It is apparent that Delaware County Sheriff's Department is in deep trouble, and tries to cover it up.

It unleashes upon people untrained police force without verification of police officers:

1) residency;
2)education;
3) Criminal Justice Division certification.

It arms such officers with Tasers and pistols without verifying or having their Taser certification and without having on file their pistol permits.

Are you feeling safe from your own "protectors", the police force, residents of Delaware County?

I will continue to disclose the interesting revelations of Delaware County (NY) that I received through my recent FOIL request.

Stay tuned.