Spring Valley police chief relieved of duty by Mayor Alan Simon
SPRING VALLEY - The Spring Valley police chief has been removed, at least temporarily, by Mayor Alan Simon and the school resource officer for Spring Valley High yanked from the building, East Ramapo and law enforcement officials confirmed Thursday.
Why Simon decided to remove the SRO, a specially trained police officer, from the high school remained unexplained as of Thursday afternoon. So did the subsequent removal of Spring Valley Police Chief Richard Oleszczuk.
Simon did not return calls for comment.
Suffern Police Chief Andrew Loughlin, president of the Rockland County Police Chiefs Association, said any removal of a police chief was in conflict with regulations.
Loughlin said he spoke with Oleszcuk on Thursday morning and that Oleszcuk did not understand his status.
Oleszcuk joined the department 1994 and moved up the ranks; he was promoted to chief April 2021.
“The Police Chief's Association of Rockland County fully stands behind Spring Valley Police Chief Richard Oleszcuk," Loughlin said. "We believe that what occurred today was in direct violation of the Rockland County Police Act; and are confident that this matter will be resolved quickly in Chief Oleszcuk’s favor.”
Simon, a disbarred attorney who was removed from jobs as 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.
Meanwhile, East Ramapo Superintendent Clarence Ellis said in a statement issued Thursday afternoon that the district wants its SRO back.
“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.”
Chief no longer in charge
On Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, media queries about the SRO situation were referred to Oleszczuk. The USA Today Network was told Thursday morning during a visit to police headquarters that he would be in soon.
By Thursday afternoon, a reporter was told that Oleszczuk would not be working that day and that Lt. C.J. Schnaars was in charge. A message left with Schnaars was not immediately returned.
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East Ramapo Director of Security Tom Carton, asked Thursday morning via text about the absence of an SRO, would only confirm that Spring Valley police officers were “on scene.”
Spring Valley Police Officer Quacy Evelyn was the SRO at the high school last year. Evelyn could not be reached for comment.
The town of Ramapo Police Department provides an SRO for Ramapo High School.
Spring Valley trustees Asher Grossman, Yisroel Eisenbach and Zack Clerina did not immediately return requests for comment. The mayor's confidential assistant, retired SVPD Det. Reginald Anderson, also did not return a call for comment.
The scene at school
School starts at 7:42 a.m. for East Ramapo high schoolers.
By 7:30 Thursday morning, students were gathering for the first day, milling around in front of the school awaiting the first bell.
Walkers ran to each other, hugging hello as they cut through Kennedy Mall across from campus and popped into the 7-Eleven to grab coffee and snacks.
An announcement came over the loudspeaker: “If you have a schedule, go inside.”
A school official greeted a reporter who stood on the sidewalk along Route 59. When asked about the school resource officer's status for Spring Valley High, the reporter was told, "ask the mayor."
Nancy Cutler covers People & Policy for lohud.com and the USA Today Network New York. Reach her at ncutler@lohud.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Spring Valley police chief, school resource officer removed by mayor
