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Domestic dispute leads to Schenectady cop's fifth arrest since April
January 12, 2009
Updated 2:58 p.m. 
John W. Lewis
SCHENECTADY — Suspended Schenectady police Officer John W. Lewis' fifth arrest in the last nine months was the result of a domestic dispute involving his mother and brother, city police said this afternoon. Lewis, 39, was charged early Sunday with fourth-degree criminal mischief, accused of damaging a kitchen table just before 4 a.m. in an Oregon Avenue home. Police spokesman Sgt. Eric Clifford said the latest arrest came after his mother called police and said Lewis was destroying the house and physically fighting with his brother, who is a police officer in the city of Albany. Lewis' formal arraignment was postponed until this afternoon, when he was already scheduled to appear on charges arising from three prior arrests. Lewis did not appear, however, as his attorney said he was being held at St. Mary's Hospital in Amsterdam. Sunday's arrest was Lewis’ fifth since April, with his most recent arrest - on a drunken driving charge - coming just more than two weeks ago. In that case, he was accused of driving with a blood-alcohol content greater than 0.18 percent and hitting a parked car on Eastern Avenue just before 4:30 a.m. Dec. 27. Lewis is currently suspended for 30 days without pay as a result of the Dec. 27 arrest, Clifford said, and will face administrative consequences related to his latest arrest once that suspension expires. Lewis’ attorney, Michael Horan, appeared in City Court this morning and noted that Lewis was to be in court this afternoon to answer the drunken driving charge. He will be arraigned then on the newest charge. Outside the courtroom, Horan said he expected the three earlier pending cases to be on course for trial. “We have to take them one at a time. That’s all we can do,” Horan said. Lewis made an initial appearance on the mischief charge Sunday, Horan said, and was released on his own recognizance. Lewis has been off duty on varying one-month suspensions and leave since his initial arrest in April. He remained on suspension without pay after his drunken-driving arrest. Lewis was charged in April with harassing his then-estranged wife, Allison Fitz Lewis, by grabbing and pushing her during a dispute over their child. He was acquitted of that charge in June in a City Court trial. As he awaited trial, however, he was charged with criminal contempt, accused of violating an order of protection issued in the harassment case by phoning the woman several times, driving by her house and going to her work place. Lewis was charged in November with third-degree stalking and second-degree aggravated harassment, both misdemeanors, accused of threatening his now ex-wife four times since August. Get ALL of our news...Click here to subscribe to our online edition, a complete replica of our print edition.
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July 4, 2009
12:22 p.m.
3:32 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
by removing my earlier comment, apparentley the gazzette doesnt want to allow facts to be posted under comments.........
3:35 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
No, your comment was removed because it contained unsubstantiated allegations of wrongdoing that are potentially libelous. Such comments are banned under the Terms of Service for this Web site, which you can read at www.dailygazette.com/news/privacy/.
Mark Robarge
Online Editor
3:58 p.m.
4:08 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
YOU NEED TO INCLUDE IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE....
DO NOT POST ANY MATERIAL THAT CONTAINS FACTS...
4:11 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
UPON READING OTHER COMMENTS RELATED TO LEWIS, IT APPEARS ITS ONLY OK TO FURTHER BASH HIM AND MAKE HIM OUT TO BE SUCH A BAD PERSON, RATHER THAN HEAR THE OTHER SIDE TO A STORY....
6:39 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
The Gazette, and Carl Strock do keep strict tabs on the Schenectady Police, but shouldn't somebody? How can a police force in a small city of less than 60,000 people have so many problems? Please explain this to all.
The force has run amok. And, you're bashing the Daily Gazette? Lewis is being given his due process. He is suspended, but he is getting paid. he will have his day in court and justice will take place.
As for editiorial bylines, look at the top of the editoral page. The editorial writers are listed right at the top.
7:08 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
Some body should ask the question, "why does this police force have so many problems." The answer nobody wants 2 hear, from the mayor down, "screw cops gets u ahead in Schenectady." Hence the new chief. Screw 5 lives and we will make your life better(Chaires) the mayor says. Stratton"s making his career on hurting cops. This post could be a thesis paper. Lewis is the product of working close 2 twenty years in hell, and that hell is SPD. My heart goes out to him for his speedy recovery. Also 2 note SPD finally gets what they want here. They have been trying to fire Lewis for years. Instead SPD breaks a man down 2 Lewis so they can fire him. The conclusion of this recent post will read, " There is 2 sides to the story and the story on the line officers end could be a thesis paper.
10:21 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
The problem lies in the administration of both the City of Schenectady and the Schenectady Police Department. The rules for firing an officer are clearly spelled out in New York State Civil Service Law and apply equally to Police Departments across New York. The process of disciplining an officer is contractual with the New York State Public Employees Relations Board assuring fairness in discipline and treatment from one officer to the next within a given department. The problem in Schenectady is that when favored officers screw up they are dealt with in a very lenient manner as compared to problem officers. This "2 tiered" discipline results in NYS Perb arbitrators ruling that the punishment was unduly harsh and must be uniform across the board. Until the Police Brass start holding all officers to the same higher standard you will continue to see SPD in the news. People like to bash the Police Union but they do not set disciplinary policy. As is their job they do ensure fairness in the treatment of their members.
As someone who has spent their entire life in our beautiful city and a business owner here I've known and dealt with officers over the years. In the 80's we had a couple of problems and they brought in Charles Mills. At that time officers started complaining about how he was making deals with favored officers and the resulting breakdown of the chain of command. In the next fifteen years we have had numerous officers go to jail and too many scandals to count. Does anyone ask why this is? Makes a smart person wonder if SPD really was that bad or if the "cure" ended up being worse than the disease. Just asking.......