Posted on March 19 at 9:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think the mayor and commissioner are ignoring the larger issue at hand and that is the process of addressing the overwhelming problem of crime in this city. I have yet to hear or see anything of substance from either one to address the crime problem, it seems that much time,money and energy is being focused on prosecuting 6 police officers when rapists, burglars, and other criminals are free to roam in much larger numbers. And as for the abolishment of the department, it's a moot issue and just another distraction.NO ONE WANTS THE JOB OF TAKING OVER THE SCHDY PD. Does anyone seriously believe that the sheriff's dept or state police want to be responsible for handling crime in the city? I don't see the sheriff or superintendent of the state police jumping at the chance to take over the job.

On List of Schenectady cops facing firing up to 6

Posted on January 21 at 4:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Retired- I agree with most of what you write however, let's not forget that these officers also have civil rights which are just as important as the citizens they serve. I would like to know how the attorney general's office could even possibly think that they had enough evidence to charge these officers criminally. I somehow doubt that they even thought they did have this evidence and they went through the motions to save face and please the public. Now, these officers(found innocent) and their families continually have to live under a cloud of suspicion after having their names and reputations smeared because of an accusation made by a career criminal? Without so much as an apology from the administration? Something is wrong with this picture.

On Sources: Officer probed over drugs

Posted on January 1 at 9:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Some former idiot chief of a podunk police department is the top story of the year? I think some of your readers need to get out from under a rock...there is a whole world out there.
How economic issues the likes we haven't seen since the Great Depression wouldn't trump this story I just don't know.

On Readers choose Kaczmarek's downfall as top local story of 2008

Posted on September 19 at 2 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Magic- I quote "Symbolic appointment? Chief in title only?" Are you serious? How dare the gazette imply that the chief got his position because of the color of his skin. The gazette will go to any length to put down this police dept every chance they get even at the cost of appearing racist.

On Editorial: Good choice for symbolic appointment

Posted on September 19 at 1:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'll go you one step further, that editorial was out right racist.

On Editorial: Good choice for symbolic appointment

Posted on September 17 at 3:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Bravo Gazette on the same old recycled comments. The officers (or as the mayor likes to call them thugs) haven't had any recent trouble so I guess you had to dig up something to write your editorial about. By the way 2008 has had seven murders in nine months just in case someone over there was keeping track. I would hardly call that "not many" in a city this size. Maybe you could send one of your ace reporters to do a story on that.

On Editorial: Statistics confirm worst fears about Sch'dy PD

Posted on September 12 at 3:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

MtPleasantMom-Your generalizations regarding the officers of SPD are ignorant. I'm not sure if you read the entire article, or maybe you just didn't understand it correctly, either way they are just accused and not yet convicted. Comparing SPD and Glenville is comparing apples to oranges. Our city has become a haven for thugs and criminals from NYC. Our officers are doing a job that is more comparable to that of an officer in NYC and on most days probably worse. They deserve more thanks and respect from our city officials and members of the community. And as a side note---I know some SPD officers that have transferred to Glenville PD--it was probably a former SPD officer that you were speaking so highly of.

On Should three Schenectady police officers face criminal charges for allegedly failing to fill out paperwork related to the use of force on a drunken driving suspect in December 2007?

Posted on September 9 at 10:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Bottom line-the grand jury did not have enough evidence to convict these officers on assault charges. With or without the use of force form they at least had a video of the incident. In reviewing your prior posts, as far as I know a grand jury is not charged with issuing a report with comments as to what type of forced used, but they are charged with specifically reviewing if excessive force was used. Your argument as to whether the jury was "stymied" because they didn't have this report has no merit. If the prosecution had a case against these officers, (which in this instance they did not) they have the burden to prove.....and they had a video and still couldn't do it.

On Should three Schenectady police officers face criminal charges for allegedly failing to fill out paperwork related to the use of force on a drunken driving suspect in December 2007?

Posted on September 9 at 9:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think the point is that is in my job, your job, probably just about everyone elses job, that if you do forget to fill out paperwork you are not CRIMINALLY charged. Most likely, you would be called into your bosses office and dicipline would be handled internally within the company....which is EXACTLY how it should have been handled in this case.
And I stand behind that statement.

On Should three Schenectady police officers face criminal charges for allegedly failing to fill out paperwork related to the use of force on a drunken driving suspect in December 2007?