Tuesday, July 17, 2012

DOI arrest numbers up

From the Queens Chronicle:

By definition, the city’s Department of Investigation tends to keep a low profile in its day-to-day operations.

So it was uncharacteristic last week when the department touted a record year for investigations and enforcement in the fiscal year ending June 30.

And DOI Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn, now in her 10th year in the post, was in a mood to brag about her staff in a statement issued by her office.

“This fiscal year the DOI closed more cases, made more arrests and recovered more funds than last fiscal year, all of which is a testament to the tenacious work of DOI’s team of investigators, rooting out fraud, protecting taxpayer funds and ensuring that corruption is exposed and stopped,” Gill Hearn said.

The department arrested 806 individuals last year, up from 790 the year before and an increase of 195 percent since 2002, when DOI made 273 arrests. It also marked the fourth consecutive year that the department racked up a record number of arrests.

As for what the numbers and reported progress means to Queens residents and business owners, Bob Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, said any press release from a government agency needs to be treated with some skepticism.

“Let someone else tell me how well an agency is doing,” he said, citing his own decidedly mixed experiences with the DOI in the past. He said the normal citizen who reports suspicious activity can feel as if the deck is stacked against him.

“Do higher numbers mean they are doing their jobs better or that there is just more corruption?” Holden asked. “If they are doing their jobs — and this is their job, what they get paid to do, root out corruption — great. If arrests are up in record numbers, if they are out there encouraging and protecting whistleblowers, great.”

But Queens, he said, always seems to be ground zero for corruption in the city. He cited the recent finding of an investigation into the Willets Point development plan by the state attorney general that found local groups, including one headed by former Borough President Claire Shulman, engaged in illegal lobbying practices.

“This could just be the tip of the iceberg,” Holden said. “You can just look at those numbers in so many ways.”

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/14/nypd-officer-changed-with-stealing-guns-from-precinct-to-allegedly-fuel-drug/

http://loop21.com/life/nypd-cop-gay-sex-teenager-boy


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/11/richard-haste-ramarley-graham_n_1587841.html

http://www.allthingsharlem.com/copwatch/2012/6/8/new-york-state-supreme-court-judge-claims-he-was-hit-by-nypd.html

usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/13/12721027-nypd-cop-wife-charged-in-murder-for-hire-plot?lite

Thats just the NYPD in 2 minutes of searches.

Anonymous said...

"But Queens, he said, always seems to be ground zero for corruption in the city."
- - - - -
and DA Brown does not go after pols.

Anonymous said...

DOI = Biggest scam artists anywhere.

Snake Plissskin said...

Queens ground zero?

Self indulgent pols that know that no one can run against them.

Clueless electorate made up of the peasants of the world and transient hipsters that have the pols eating out of their hands.

Local Press? hahahahehehehoho

Looks like the perfect storm to me.

The point of the matter is that the rest of the world doesn't get involved.

If they do the local pitchfork and torch crowd will attack them (you say what our beloved officials? unthinkable you scoundrel!)

Anonymous said...

DOI: Department Of Incompetence

Anonymous said...

When cops are stealing guns from cops, and when every day has new news about cop-on-cop or cop-on-civilian crime, you know that there's a serious, serious problem with cops thinking they are above the law.

I think the leadership needs to think about the equivalent of a "broken windows" program for cops, and have them start by having them follow the laws regarding their personal cars - where they park, how they drive, etc.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to investigate Rose Gill Hearn intimately...if you know what I mean!!

Anonymous said...

How many of those arrests turned into legitimate convictions?

Anonymous said...

when i requested D.O.I. reports of the probe of former Deputy N.Y.C. Commissioner of Real Property ,Terrence Moan of 1987, causing his resignation, i was told to file a Freedom Of Information Claim ??????