Spring Valley police chief back after mayor wrongly relieved him of duties: officials
SPRING VALLEY — Police Chief Richard Oleszczuk is back Friday running the police department after a confrontation with the village's combustible mayor.
Mayor Alan Simon relieved Oleszczuk of his duties on Thursday morning under circumstances the mayor has refused to explain. The chief has declined to discuss the issues.
What's known is the brouhaha didn't last long and apparently started with the mayor ordering the school resource officer removed from Spring Valley High School as the new school year opened Thursday. Other issues developed including the mayor kicking the media out of his office and refusing to answer questions.
Law enforcement: Spring Valley police chief relieved of duty by Mayor Alan Simon
Additionally, a few elected Board of Trustee members intervened on the chief's behalf and the Rockland Police Chiefs Association pointed out Simon violated the Rockland County Police Act of 1936 by suspending Oleszczuk.
"He's back to work today," Suffern Police Chief Andrew Loughlin, president of the Rockland County Police Chiefs Association, said on Friday.
"I don't know if this has been completely resolved," Loughlin said. "Our position was the mayor didn't have the authority to arbitrarily do what he did. I spoke to Rich and he didn't elaborate. He had conversations with the village attorney and trustees."
Several of the four trustees declined to provide details other than acknowledging they did their job and that Oleszczuk is back at the helm of the department. The mayor backed down.
"The chief was at work today and will be at work tomorrow," Trustee Yisroel Eisenbach said, declining further comment.
Not only does the chief have a contract with the village, but the Rockland County Police Act mandates a specific process for relieving the chief or an officer of their duties. And that includes formal charges, followed by a hearing before the police commission — the Board of Trustees.
Oleszczuk didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on his abbreviated leave courtesy of the mayor. Oleszcuk joined the department in 1994 and moved up the ranks before the Village Board made him chief of the estimated 60-member department in April 2021. The position pays $274,000.
Simon, a disbarred attorney who was removed from jobs as a village and Ramapo town justice, has a history since taking office nearly six years ago of arbitrarily suspending and trying to fire employees, including building and fire inspectors. He's also publicly cursed and admonished employees and fellow elected officials.
He recently held a news conference about Rockland County running the village building department, but the news conference became contentious with the media.
Spring Valley: Mayor wants building inspections back, saying county is ineffective
While the Village Hall drama plays out, East Ramapo Superintendent Clarence Ellis said in a statement issued Thursday that the district wants its school resource officer back. The officer mingles with students, attempts to keep order, and is supposed to serve as a role model. Spring Valley High School is located on Route 59 and has seen incidents of violence and health and security issues.
“While the Spring Valley Police Department continues to provide a consistent presence in the halls of Spring Valley High School, it is most effective when one School Resource Officer is assigned daily to build relationships with students," Ellis said. "It is our hope that the Spring Valley mayor and the Spring Valley Police Department resolve their differences quickly so that we can restore consistency to our SRO program.”
Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@lohud.com. Twitter: @lohudlegal.
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This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Spring Valley police chief back on duty after confrontation with mayor
