Employee’s refusal to cooperate with a police investigation found to constitute misconduct
2015 NY Slip Op 01740, Appellate Division, First Department
2015 NY Slip Op 01740, Appellate Division, First Department
The Appellate Division confirmed the determination of New York City’s Police Commissioner adopting the findings of the disciplinary Hearing Officer that a New York City police officer had engaged in misconduct, and imposing a penalty of forfeiture of 30 vacation days, a 30-day suspension, without pay, and a one-year dismissal probation period.
The court said that there was substantial evidence to support the Hearing Officer’s findings that the police officer had refused to cooperate with a Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) investigation, and that he gave vague and nonresponsive answers at a subsequent interview by New York City Police Department officials.
Citing Kelly v Safir, 96 NY2d 32, the Appellate Division said that “The imposed penalty does not shock our sense of fairness.”
Similarly, a New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings' administrative law judge held that an employee may be disciplined for refusing to cooperate in a non-disciplinary investigation interview [NYC Health and Hospital Corporation v Jones, OATH Index #1100/10, posted on the Internet at:http://archive.citylaw.org/oath/10_Cases/10-1100.pdf].
The decision is posted on the Internet at:
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