Allegations of drug use made against Gipson

[kernwatch]

This is shocking news.

But it raises further questions about Gipson also having been a slumlord on the Eastside, while living in Wmsville, before his appointment as Police Commisioner. Upon his appointment, he apparently dumped those problem properties to a relative.

These issues, plus his initial cover-up of the infamous Mayor's-son-out-for-a-drive incident, do raise some ethical questions about Gipson.

COPY:
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/200389.html

Officer’s lawyer says police commissioner is showing favoritism
Allegations of drug use made against Gipson at hearing

By Matt Gryta NEWS STAFF REPORTER, Updated: 11/06/07 7:54 AM


A departmental disciplinary hearing for Buffalo Police Officer Cariol J. Horne took a surprising turn Monday when her attorney Anthony L. Pendergrass made an unsubstantiated accusation that Commissioner H. McCarthy Gipson has a history of using drugs.

The charges were immediately denied by department counsel Diane O’Gorman, who called the accusation “absolutely groundless and slander, actually.”

Gipson was shocked and upset by the remarks but didn’t want to comment late Monday afternoon.

Pendergrass alleged that Gipson was showing favoritism toward Horne’s accusers — fellow Buffalo police officers — because, according to Pendergrass, Gipson was spared arrest on drug charges some years ago.

Horne’s chief lawyer told the news media during the first day of public testimony that Officer Ann Vanyo let Gipson “walk” after confronting him years ago in a Buffalo crack house.

Pendergrass said he and Kenneth Nixon, Horne’s other attorney, plan to call police officers to testify both about the “common knowledge” of the commissioner’s alleged drug addiction and the alleged favor Vanyo did for Gipson while he was running Erie County’s two jails for the Sheriff’s Department some years ago.

In July 1998, Gipson left the Buffalo Police Department after 27 years to serve as head of the county jail system. He was named Buffalo police commissioner in early 2006.

Pendergrass and Nixon, who took up Horne’s case after the police labor union backed away from representing her in September, told disciplinary hearing officer Thomas Renaldo they plan to call a number of police officers, including Vanyo and Officer Gregory Kwiatkowski to back up their claims about an alleged conspiracy against Horne. The disciplinary hearing resumes today.

On Oct. 16, State Supreme Court Justice Joseph D. Mintz ordered the department, for the first time in its history, to stage a public disciplinary hearing for Horne, 39, who in January was charged with a dozen departmental violations for the Nov. 1, 2006, incident with Kwiatkowski.

Horne, a nearly 20-year veteran of the force, is on paid disability status. She maintains she was injured in a fight with the much larger Kwiatkowski as she intervened for a man she claims Kwiatkowski had in a choke hold after a domestic incident in the 700 block of Walden Avenue.

Renaldo will rule on Horne’s future with the department. Horne, who faces insubordination and other charges, claimed on the witness stand Monday that Kwiatkowski beat her after she stopped him from choking the civilian.

Horne told the hearing officer she was fired in June 2000 because senior officers falsely accused her of being absent without leave. She said an arbitrator ordered her reinstated with full back pay five years later, a decision upheld by the state appellate courts.

Horne and Kwiatkowski have countersued each other for defamation over public statements they have made about the on-duty incident. Kwiatkowski’s attorney, Andrew P. Fleming, monitored a portion of Monday’s hearing.

Kwiatkowski testified last summer. He is on a long-planned hunting trip and will not be back in town this week, Fleming said.

Also Monday, Kevin Ratajaczak, a Postal Service carrier, testified that he alerted police after the male resident of 707 Walden Ave. began arguing with his live-in girlfriend about the government check Ratajaczak had delivered the morning of Nov. 1, 2006, the incident that sparked the domestic dispute and police call.

Pendergrass complained to Renaldo that the Police Department probe by its Professional Standards Division had only obtained testimony from five “white” officers, including Kwiatkowski and Vanyo, before Horne was charged. Horne is black.

Pendergrass told the hearing officer that at least 12 male African-American police officers responded to 707 Walden after an officer-in-trouble call was put out Nov. 1, 2006, but none was questioned about the Horne-Kwiatkowski fight.

Pendergrass contended that Horne is a victim of departmental “totalitarianism, fascism, racism and sexism.”

mgryta@buffnews.com

[bigpoppapuff]

first point,"dick"......this is being talked about on another thread...but,imho,for you to add to the rumor is classless but not unexpected from a hack like you...

[unioncop]

first point,"dick"......this is being talked about on another thread...but,imho,for you to add to the rumor is classless but not unexpected from a hack like you...

cant want till funky and them losers btt and 4248 chime in

[FisherRd]

cant want till funky and them losers btt and 4248 chime in

Well seeing as though Gipson is black they're confused on how to proceed.

a) Uncle Tom
b) White people got Gipson hooked
c) Radio frequencies are used by the BPD to control the black officers
d) Ignore the thread


"Wonder Twin powers activate! I'll form a race baiter!...And I'll form a race card!"

[CSense]

Well seeing as though Gipson is black they're confused on how to proceed.

a) Uncle Tom
b) White people got Gipson hooked
c) Radio frequencies are used by the BPD to control the black officers
d) Ignore the thread


"Wonder Twin powers activate! I'll form a race baiter!...And I'll form a race card!"

Where's the monkey?

[Scanner_Head]

pic deleted

[kernwatch]

Csense & Scanner:

This is not a joke.

Either way they go, these charges are very serious in an area long viewed as "worst governed" (see GOVERNED Journal, Feb, 2000, where Bflo was ranked 'worst-governed' of 35 cities studied, tied with New Orleans).

Then both cities "went under" (one under water, the other under TWO NYS-imposed control boards).

Bflo & Erie County are the laughing stock of the nation. Such posts document that folks may get the government they deserve?

A corrupt drug-using police commisioner, or a corrupt cop falsely charging the police commissioner, is not a laughing matter!

[unioncop]

dick you know not what you talk about horne is a POS period and now she is trying to deflect what she did and ruin a man in the process her lawyer who is also a POS is claiming that there were 12 black male police officers there well I say there are not 12 black male police officers working the day shift in C dist. I believe at most their minimum is 10 officers on that shift so 12 plus horne plus Greg and 3-4 other white officers equals approx. 18 officers and if there were so many black officers that saw an innocent black male being choked to death why did they not step in? cause it did not happen that way horne is a friend of the def and wanted to stop him from going to jail where he belongs along with her. As for Gibson his vindication will come when he fires her ass.

[atotaltotalfan2001]

dick you know not what you talk about horne is a POS period and now she is trying to deflect what she did and ruin a man in the process her lawyer who is also a POS is claiming that there were 12 black male police officers there well I say there are not 12 black male police officers working the day shift in C dist. I believe at most their minimum is 10 officers on that shift so 12 plus horne plus Greg and 3-4 other white officers equals approx. 18 officers and if there were so many black officers that saw an innocent black male being choked to death why did they not step in? cause it did not happen that way horne is a friend of the def and wanted to stop him from going to jail where he belongs along with her. As for Gibson his vindication will come when he fires her ass.

Any Buffalo cops out there? Is this rumor of Gibson's drug use really widespread? Or is it just BS?

[MoreOfTheSame]

This is becoming quite a circus and is making our city look bad. Going ahead and accusing the police chief/commissioner of being a crack head as a defense means you have nothing substantive to add to the discussion. As I am sure many people have said, even if true, it does not have any bearing on the proceedings.

I find it hard to believe that Mr. Gibson does have a substance problem that is that obvious and blatant. With all of the problems he seems to have had with the rank and file in his department I am sure it would have been exposed by now if it was true. Is that really the best story they can come up with? A police commissioner dumb enough to hang around crack houses with people who will probably be arrested numerous times in the future and roll on him just to get out of jail? Come on. It just looks like a desperate ploy from somebody trying to save a cushy "job."

How quickly after this is concluded will they fire her or rule in some way? What appeals are there? How long until this goes away for good?

[Dr Funky]

How the hell is he a crackhead?

He's fatter than the Stay Puft Marshmallow man...

[CSense]

How the hell is he a crackhead?

He's fatter than the Stay Puft Marshmallow man...

I don't think he's a crackhead but he is incompetent. Just ask him how he did in his last job.

[unioncop]

must say it was nice to see that father and son (mack) are so dumb they can not keep their story straight

[Scanner_Head]

I was posting a picture to make a joke. It is exactly what this situation is. Anyone that listens to a POS like her and tries to substantiate her claims are the same. This is what you get with AA. Oh no, I said it! Now what?

[unioncop]

I was posting a picture to make a joke. It is exactly what this situation is. Anyone that listens to a POS like her and tries to substantiate her claims are the same. This is what you get with AA. Oh no, I said it! Now what?

PM it to me I would like to see it