UPDATED … !!BULLETIN!! CHIEF WYNN CONFIRMS CITY HAS FIRED OFFICER JEFF COCO
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, DEC. 1, 2015) — Let THE PLANET be the first to report this news, from the Pittsfield Police Department. Here is the full text of the Chief Mike Wynn:
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****For Immediate Release****
Subject: Officer Jeffrey D. Coco terminated
Authored By: Chief Michael Wynn
Authorized By: Chief Michael Wynn
Released At: November 30, 2015 7:42 PM
On Tuesday, November 24, 2015, Officer Jeffrey D. Coco was terminated from service with the Pittsfield Police Department.
Following a lengthy internal investigation and a local civil service hearing, Coco was found responsible for multiple misconduct charges.
“The City of Pittsfield and the Pittsfield Police Department take any and all acts of police misconduct and/or violation of criminal laws by our personnel extremely seriously. Such acts reflect not only on the involved individual, but also on the office and reputation of the vast majority of police officers here in Pittsfield and across the nation, who perform their duties every day honestly and with extreme dedication. Service as a police officer requires a high degree of public trust. On those rare occasions, as is the case here, that trust is violated, severe sanctions must be imposed.”
-Pittsfield Police Chief Michael Wynn
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THE PLANET has been in contact with various sources on this developing story, including law enforcement officials and the district attorney’s office. We shall share what we are learning as soon as we can, most likely in tomorrow’s edition. We can tell you that there seems to be a great deal of sensitivity to this issue, which suggests to us that, this time, officials are taking these allegations seriously.
The fear on the street is that this will be just another bad situation that disappears, such as the dismissal of William Monterosso at Berkshire Works and the size of the golden parachute he allegedly received from his buddy, the mayor, and how certain criminal cases (the suspect[s] in the July 4 Massacre or the odd circumstances surrounding the double-death of the dad and his 11-year-old daughter) vanished into the night, when no one was looking. THE PLANET could be wrong, but our sense is that Coco, if he has indeed done what he is charged with doing, will have to pay the fiddler.
We would also remind everyone that THE PLANET first reported this story, when everyone else in the local media was either snoozing at the wheel or chose to look the other way.
Stay tuned for our follow-up tomorrow. It will be a doozy.
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“Nothing from nothing leaves nothing. You gotta have something, if you wanna be believed.” — Billy Preston
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Maybe he’ll get community service like the guy who took the $32,000 from the Hoosac fire co. Who says crime doesn’t pay.
If his crimes were committed while in performance of his duties as a police officer he should lose his pension $$$$ too.
I agree, Edconnect. A pension is a kind of post-employment reward for faithful service, well done. If malfeasance is proven in court or otherwise, the pension and any other post-employment benefits should be revoked.
I believe a conviction (or plea that admits guilt) sets into motion some sort of process to strip him of his pension.
Mr. Valenti, I concur. In law enforcement, there is no room for corruption. On another topic, I just found out that Jim Mooney has passed away. My husband and I would see him often at the donut man restaurant in Lanesborough. We enjoyed talking to him. I never saw even one person come into the restaurant who didn’t stop to speak to him. What a nice gentleman. I feel quite sad that he has passed and we will be at his service at St. Joseph Church on Friday Dec. 4th at 10am A life well lived Jim, Everyone loves you. You touched the hearts of everyone in Berkshire County. God speed you wonderful man. Ifor one will never forget you.//////.
NEWS ARTICLE:
“Pittsfield police officer fired; allegedly stole $150,000 from union”
By Jim Therrien, The Berkshire Eagle, November 30, 2015
PITTSFIELD – Police Officer Jeffrey Coco, a former officer union president, has been fired after an Internal Affairs Department investigation produced evidence that he stole more than $150,000 in union funds over three or more years.
An investigation into possible criminal charges is ongoing, Chief Michael Wynn said Monday, adding that he could not comment further at this time.
“Following a lengthy internal investigation and a local civil service hearing, Coco was found responsible for multiple misconduct charges,” Wynn stated in a release.
Coco was officially terminated from service in the department on Tuesday, the chief said.
A September report on an internal affairs investigation headed by Lt. Michael Grady, the lieutenant concludes: “The facts and circumstances of my internal affairs investigation show that Officer Coco committed larceny over $250 by a single scheme during the time he was a member of the IBPO (International Brotherhood of Police Officers) Local 447 Executive Board (2011-2015).”
Grady adds, “Although the total monetary amounts are not available at this time, a preliminary tally shows that Officer Coco has stolen in excess of $150,000 from the union.”
A copy of the report was obtained through a public records request by The Eagle. Portions of the report were redacted in the copy supplied to the newspaper because the investigation in ongoing. Grady further states that “the cash withdrawals made by Officer Coco and the checks written out to Officer Coco and his wife show that the money withdrawn from the union account was not for legitimate union business but instead for Officer Coco’s personal use. Officer Coco has acknowledged his involvement by asking me personally during a telephone call conversation if the money can be paid back and if he could keep his job.”
Grady reported that the internal affairs findings support allegations that Coco violated department regulations barring conduct unbecoming an officer and involvement in criminal activity.
Coco could not be reached for comment Monday.
In announcing during the summer that Coco had been placed on administrative leave, Wynn said he was notified on July 14 of problems with union accounts by the International Brotherhood of Police Officers office in Springfield. The accounts belong to IBPO locals 447 and 447S in the Pittsfield department.
The union locals represent patrol officers and superior officers, respectively.
In addition to the internal affairs probe, Wynn said he requested assistance from the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit of the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office to explore possible criminal charges.
In his internal affairs report, dated Sept. 8, Grady stated that he learned Coco had begun a 30-day personal leave from the department on July 3, and that Wynn was notified by the IBPO office on July 14 of money missing from the local union accounts, and that “Officer Coco had not paid the IBPO the national union dues in some time.”
Money for the union dues is deducted from police officer paychecks. Grady goes on to state that he was a member of the union’s executive board from 2000 through 2007 and was familiar with the union local’s operations.
Grady described hearing on July 16 that the national union “hadn’t been paid in 8-10 months and is owed approximately $45,000 to $50,000.”
The lieutenant said he received a phone call on July 17 from Officer Coco and went on to describe the conversation. Grady said he told Coco he was aware the union president had not paid the national union dues for several months, and at one point, “Officer Coco asked me if I thought he could just pay the money back and keep his job.”
On Aug. 5, Grady stated, he was notified that the two locals, IBPO 447 and IBPO 447S, had failed to pay a total of $57,962 in dues owed to the national union. An official whose name was redacted from the report “told me that he had spoken with Officer Coco several times over several months about the national union not receiving the dues check,” Grady stated.
“The preliminary analysis [of union accounts] shows that Officer Coco has made an inordinate amount of cash withdrawals and has written an inordinate amount of checks to himself,” Grady stated.
He said the analysis showed that from Jan. 1 to June 25 this year, Coco had 67 transactions of cash withdrawals or checks written to Jeffrey Coco, totaling $28,220.
During 2014, Grady stated, the preliminary analysis showed 178 transactions of cash withdrawals or checks to Jeffrey Coco, totaling $53,165; and during 2013, Coco had 171 transactions of cash withdrawals or checks to Jeffrey Coco, totaling $52,313.
Grady also notes that a total of $107,921 was raised through union fund drives from 2011 to 2015, money typically used for student scholarships or union charity donations. While looking into a specific scholarship request made this year, Grady said he learned the student in question “did not receive a Pittsfield Police Union scholarship in 2015, and after reviewing the union’s bank records, it does not appear any scholarships were awarded.”
Contact Jim Therrien at 413-496-6247. jtherrien@berkshireeagle.com @BE_therrien on Twitter.
“Fired Pittsfield Police Officer Jeffrey Coco to appeal termination”
By Jim Therrien, The Berkshire Eagle, December 2, 2015
PITTSFIELD – Fired city police Officer Jeffrey Coco intends to appeal his dismissal over the alleged theft of union funds, according to an attorney representing him.
“We will be following the appropriate channels to appeal his termination,” said Lori Levinson, a defense attorney from Great Barrington who represents the former officer and union local president.
Coco was fired on Monday after an Internal Affairs Department investigation and a local Civil Service hearing found he was “responsible for multiple misconduct charges,” Police Chief Michael Wynn said.
The investigation during the summer found evidence that Coco had stolen “in excess of $150,000” in union funds while serving as the president of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers (IBPO) Local 447 at the Pittsfield Police Department.
The chief has declined to comment on possible criminal charges.
Coco was unavailable for comment Wednesday. Asked whether he will deny the allegations, Levinson said there would be no comment at this time.
She said, however, that Coco wants to say through her that no one else among his family or friends is a target of the police investigation.
“As far as we know, based on my understanding, no friends or family members have been implicated in any alleged wrongdoing,” Levinson said.
Wynn announced in mid-July that Coco had been placed on administrative leave after the regional union office in Springfield reported possible problems with Local 447 and Local 447S (for superior officers) accounts. He said that, in addition to an internal investigation, the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit of the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office was asked for assistance.
The District Attorney’s Office does not comment during an active investigation on the possibility of charges.
In his Internal Affairs report on the matter, filed with the chief on Sept. 8, Lt. Michael Grady stated in part, “The facts and circumstances of my internal affairs investigation show that Officer Coco committed larceny over $250 by a single scheme during the time he was a member of the IBPO (International Brotherhood of Police Officers) Local 447 Executive Board (2011-2015).”
Grady added, “Although the total monetary amounts are not available at this time, a preliminary tally shows that Officer Coco has stolen in excess of $150,000 from the union.”
He reported that the investigation findings support allegations that Coco violated department regulations barring conduct unbecoming an officer and involvement in criminal activity.
Levinson also represents former Lee Police Chief Joseph Buffis, who was accused of stealing about $120,000 from a toy fund he operated and coercing a couple facing pending prostitution charges into donating $4,000 to that fund.
Buffis was acquitted in U.S. District Court in June on money laundering and wire fraud charges, but he was convicted of extortion. He was scheduled to be sentenced next week, but that has been postponed for at least a month.
Contact Jim Therrien at 413-496-6247. jtherrien@berkshireeagle.com @BE_therrien on Twitter.
A Massachusetts cop stealing from other Massachusetts cops.
Reminiscent of the gang of Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) cops in the 1980’s who were found to be robbing banks and engaging in other criminal activities.
http://www.nytimes.com/1986/07/31/us/officers-in-massachusetts-indicted-in-theft-of-test.html
Sounds like he was diverting money that would go to the national union to bribe legislators. No honor among crooks
Yes, I remember that incident. There was a book written about these guys/MDC police officers called “When cops are robbers”
It actually started by getting caught selling civil service police exams as well as robbing a volt of a Medford Mass bank over a long weekend.
Coco should get into the statehouse and run for speaker
I believe a lot of the disrespect for police officers around the country comes from them protecting their own no matter what they do. They need to out their bad apples and stop covering for them in order to regain the respect the profession deserves. They have a dirty and often times thankless job. And the greater majority of police officers are awesome in their efforts and integrity. But they become their own enemy when they cover for the bad ones amongst them because it drags down the whole profession.
Just my opinion
Word is after going door to door with Linda Tyer during the campaign, Greg Yon will be rewarded with the job of head of highway, replacing the recently hired fella from out of town. At first Yon was going to replace building head Pete Sondrini, which would have been a huge mistake, apparently PS stays. Let the games commence.
My opinion would be that we don’t need two Commissioners. Savings needs to start somewhere.
I agree..Colling wood must go and will not be missed at all. N o one misses nothing. and yes..We need only one commissioner
Collingwood must have info on some GOBs.
Yon is a great choice, on board with that one L T.
Dusty is right again, it is about integrity and character, I remember when I was a rookies Frank Hess got caught shoplifting a $20 radio and offered to pay for it but the powers to be couldn’t wait to fire him for conduct unbecoming. Fast forward to officer Coco, paying the money back was probably considered as an option to make it all right. Sad news for sure.
Mr. Kitterman–It seems things have changed dramatically since you was an officer. I dont trust the cops. I hate to feel that way but thats how it is. What has changed so much since i was a kid? We loved our cops in the neiborhood. WE saw them all the time. To bad we cant get back to those days.
If Tyer puts Greg Yon in any position she has lost her mind and she is no better than jim Ruberto. Yon was allegedly dismissed from a 25 year career at GE in 1996 with a lot of questions attached to that dismissal. If Linda Tyer proposes him for the DPW job Yon should be asked about the situation at GE to determine if all was well … or not. He wasn’t qualified for the job that Ruberto gave him and he’s not qualified for this job, someone who knows her please wake her up before she makes a huge mistake.
Question: Can Mrs. Coco be charged with receiving stolen property since some of the checks were made out to her?
I would certainly hope so. Isn’t that being complicit in a crime? SPeaking of criminals, Sheldon Silver guilty of all charges. Skellos is next to go and word is Cuomo will go soon after. These sob’s feel they can break the law and go free time after time and have. Because they are high level politicians they feel the law doesn’t pertain to them. Lets hope this string of convictions continue. Police and elected officials have hood winked the average citizen for too long and it is high time something is done about it. If we can’t trust the Police or the elected officials ..who can we trust This is why elections are so very important. Candidates should be veted to the max. and elections looked at as being of supreme importance as we need the most able and educated individuals we can find. If we looked at elections this way we would not have the same crop of GOB and SIG’S we see time after time. I feel that soon, we may all become more and more engaged in our government and that can only be considered as a very good thing This Site is that good thing I am talking about but we have a long way to go. Keep up the good work.. informed citizens. //////.
There is apparently more to the PPD union malfeasence than has been divulged. This investigation was supposedly initiated by tough questions out of Springfield and at the national level. Locally, all governmental actions and municipal unions are sacrosanct and furtive, without transparency. I suspect other union and pension fund administrators are nervously engaged in balancing the books.
Will Linda Tyer attempt to bring a honest openness and responsive, accountable transparency to city government or will Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall be resurrected on Allen St. ???
It would seem she has joined the group that make great efforts to protect each other. Do not expect too much change from the norm of special interest activity.
What is Yon’s background? Is he qualified?
I vaguely remember him from the GE. I think he was either the shipping or receiving (or both) clerk in building 119. Don’t know what he did after that. He must be close to retirement age though.
Why don’t you ask Linda?
If I had access to her I would, but if anyone knows his background please inform us.
If he is extremely qualified, he would not take the job – because no matter what he does, he will be pilloried by one group or another. his reputation will be impugned and he will do nothing but defend himself. the truth is that working for the City is a job for only the thickest skinned. I don’t think I could do any job I may be qualified for just because the BS you need to endure is so frustrating.
Coco if the allegations are true should lose pension, all benefits, and do time. He ripped off his brother officers. Nothing lower than that.
As for Greg Yon he would make a great hire. Get rid of Collingwood and give Yon the single job. No need for two there, Linda Tyer.
Even though Yon isn’t from out of town, he still. Iget be ale to get the position.
Might be able
Southeast..You are wrong. Many who are hired will do the bidding of those that hire them. My question is how is Tyer going to know who knows what they are doing as she herself does’t know what she is doing. Don’t ever forget She is a school secretary. Four more years of business as usual. As Mr. Valenti has stated..You can not continue to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. Translation ..Four more years of misery for the taxpayer. If Gaetani were elected heads would be on the chopping block and rightfully so and taxes would be going down. We may never see the likes of an educated and accomplished individual like Gaetani run for mayor ever again and that would be just fine by the GOB’S and SIG’S. We had the chance to elect the best but we elected the worst. Now all together–to the slaughter house..Charge. Look Out.
If I was Bianchi’s secretary, I would be very upset to hear that because who do you think ran the city for the last four year?
I don’t recall every hearing exactly how educated and accomplished Gaetani was, just mostly reading how he thought it was okay to verbally abuse and threaten municipal workers.
I enjoyed reading all of the tributes to the late Jim Mooney. He was one of the few people who cared about Pittsfield as a community that represented the common residents.
I knew this community that was Pittsfield when I was a boy in the 1980s. I don’t know Pittsfield anymore. The old guard is passing on, while the new leaders have made Pittsfield a place where people live in fear of the Good Old Boys network who rules Pittsfield with an iron fist.
When I was a boy growing up in Pittsfield, good people like Jim Mooney believed in me and my family. But, when I was a young adult living in the Pittsfield area, I had to live in fear from people like Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr. and his G.O.B. network.
Jim Mooney was a special man. He was the absolute personification of an example that all of us wish to follow. If there is a heaven Jim Mooney has already arrived with open arms waiting.
The report:
http://wx.wwlp.com/documents/OfficerCocoreport.pdf
G Yon left GE …his wife former Ward 1 councilor cried to then Mayor Ruberto who found him a job with the city…he has no experience whatsoever for highway or building…don’t you recall his wife in just about every pix at HON election night party, as well as the pictures of LT’s running announcement on City Hall front steps? Very simple math here
Fires on morningside last night, arrested was step son of Pittsfield 911 dispatch supervisor. Hmmmm
Probably not worthy of an Eagle mention.
I don’t understand why the responses about Greg Yon keep being edited. [ALL YOU AND OTHERS HAVE PRESENTED ARE ASSERTIONS, NOT BACKED BY ANYTHING. IF YOU WISH, SEND THE PLANET THE FACTS THAT MENTION, AND LET US DECIDE. WE WILL NOT PRINT uNSuBSTANTIATED ASSERTIONS.]
“This is not the first time Coco had been suspected of taking union money. Grady’s report states that back in 2012, Coco had withdrawn about $5,000 from a union account. A former union board member confronted him about it, and Coco told him that he was getting married, and had been having trouble paying the bills. The board member ordered Coco to pay the money back, but Grady says there is no evidence the funds were ever returned.”
http://wwlp.com/2015/12/01/officer-allegedly-stole-more-than-150k-from-union/
So, he allegedly got away with $5000 in 2012, of course he thought he could continue. It’s not his fault! (Sarcasm)