Lt. Tim MatthewsUPDATE:
Lt. Matthews charged with felony Grand Larceny, the 9,000 allegedly stolen is rumored to be out of a department safe and seperate from the payroll probe.
D.A. Carnright: Gray day for all of us involved in law enforcement.
Detective Matthews remains on a leave of absence with pay.
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Sources in the KPD, tell me Deputy Chief John Wallace sent out an e-mail to officers informing them that Detective Tim Matthews, had been suspended and he would cover his cases in the immediate future. Others have told me Matthews chose to take a leave of absence and plans to resign.
This whole mess stems from an audit done by the NYS Comptroller, allegedly Matthews was claiming hours simultaneously in his capacity as a kpd officer and head of school security. The officer that I spoke with would not say how many hours were involved or a dollar amount, he would just say, "you can't be at two places at once."
Detective Matthews is a stand up guy, I will always remember when the Freeman did a piece a few years ago on the anniversary of Rickel Knox's death, Matthews was talking about having to bring the killer to these railroad tracks to show him where he left her body. This Detective has worked on every major case in Kingston and Ulster County in the last ten years and is someone I respect, this is a sad day for Kingston.
As all the details of this come out, we need to remember everything this guy has done to make Kingston a better and safer place. Ask yourself, does one transgression wipe away an entire career dedicated to public service? I stand behind Detective Matthews and ask members of the community to support him as well and give him the benefit of the doubt. The Kingston Police department has civilian police commission, I believe they handle all personal matters, residents should call in support of Lt. Matthews and go to the next commission meeting. More to follow.
This whole mess stems from an audit done by the NYS Comptroller, allegedly Matthews was claiming hours simultaneously in his capacity as a kpd officer and head of school security. The officer that I spoke with would not say how many hours were involved or a dollar amount, he would just say, "you can't be at two places at once."
Detective Matthews is a stand up guy, I will always remember when the Freeman did a piece a few years ago on the anniversary of Rickel Knox's death, Matthews was talking about having to bring the killer to these railroad tracks to show him where he left her body. This Detective has worked on every major case in Kingston and Ulster County in the last ten years and is someone I respect, this is a sad day for Kingston.
As all the details of this come out, we need to remember everything this guy has done to make Kingston a better and safer place. Ask yourself, does one transgression wipe away an entire career dedicated to public service? I stand behind Detective Matthews and ask members of the community to support him as well and give him the benefit of the doubt. The Kingston Police department has civilian police commission, I believe they handle all personal matters, residents should call in support of Lt. Matthews and go to the next commission meeting. More to follow.
66 comments:
You are the scoop my man - this won't hit the Freeman until Saturday!
You just couldn't wait to stomp could you?
Is this another story of a wannabe bean counter in a cushy patronage job trying to make a name for himself by taking down a hard working civil servant.
Obviously unethical or illegal activity is apparent, otherwise how could he be "taking down" anyone?
Police are held to a higher standard than others since their role is to UPHOLD and ENFORCE the law. There is obviously some issue involving finance or the Comptroller would not be involved. Further, someone had to clue the Comptroller in that there was something remiss in this detectives activities.
Hmm, wrongdoing is wrongdoing unless you're in a protected class of "hard working civil servants" like cops? That's really sleazy anti-Americanism and just plain shredding of the constitution by a moron! Good thing this guy recognizes his mistake and is quitting. Equal protection is paramount, not optional.
Just a couple weeks into the new year and you've already earned your 2011 Press Pass. Good work, Blaber!
This guy heads URGENT, wow!
I agree JB, lets stand behind Timmy! Ask the families of everyone he has helped..that list is very long. He has made Kingston safe.
Class E Felony
Does following the law sometimes, make what he allegedly did OK? Does he get a free pass because he was taking down bad guys for a living? He was also compensated pretty damn well for it too! I hear he was making 125k a year between the 2 jobs.
Sorry, if he was double dipping, he was violating public service law.
§ 175.35 Offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree. A person is guilty of offering a false instrument for filing in the
first degree when, knowing that a written instrument contains a false statement or false information, and with intent to defraud the state or any political subdivision, public authority or public benefit
corporation of the state, he offers or presents it to a public office, public servant, public authority or public benefit corporation with the knowledge or belief that it will be filed with, registered or recorded
in or otherwise become a part of the records of such public office, public servant, public authority or public benefit corporation. Offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree is a class E felony.
Wait until there is an official statement before passing judgement. The same goes for calls pro and con for any type of dismissal concerns. We, the public, are not privy to all personnel matters. Hopefully this not a political retribution of some kind.
INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY !!!
That includes COPS, you nasty bastards,
Show some Respect & Gratitude.
This is quite interesting. Sad, and interesting. I recall many, many years ago, there was a school board member who suggested using different technology for safety at KHS instead of the huge budget amount for KPD officers.
If I remember correctly, Mr. Matthews wrote a scathing letter to the editor of the Freeman, attacking the board member for the suggestion. I remember it because he seemed so self indulgent defending his own extra salary.
Now his vitriol in that letter makes total sense. He had his own personal racket going on.
Not good. Not good at all.
Who was nasty or disrespectful? I swear, if you say a cop of fireman farted, you get your head handed to you. They are not fucking perfect.
Imagine if this was one of Sottile's appointee's. It would be fair game.
I'll bet a dollar to a dime he is as guilty as the day is long. No way they are going after a guy with his background unless they are 110% sure. Urgent, Lt. Detective, head of school security?
Fred Wadnola is going to be pissed! 300k of scholl money and he didn't get his hands on it?
are you kidding me?
10:41... that ain't right. Fred left some crumbs for others. After all Fred is a man of the people. That is as soon as he gets back from his month long visit to Florida.
I wish the story would come out for the masses to read about the charges this cop is facing. It is too bad the Freeman cover's it up because they have a good relationship with Mr. Media Matthews.
Stop reporting rumors and wait for the actual facts.
LOL 10:41 - I heard $300K as well...
Perhaps URGENT or the Sheriff's Office should be audited next...
The saddest part of this entire situation is that he is human and messed up. Although what he did isn't right, he kept Kingston and the Kingston Police department on their feet. If Matthews is forced to resign, the KPD will go to shits. Who ever is to replace Matthews probably wont even come close to getting the job done as he did.
Again what he did was wrong, but noone will be able to do the job serving our city like he did.
That is something, I think we all need to listen to the facts and remember all Mr. Matthews has done for our community.
He should be punished but not go to jail.
This is a highly respected civil servant who has done a fine job, is (or was,depending on the outcome) an asset to the Department and the city. Lets get the facts first, before we pass judgement. If this is true however, well, then he will have to step down, no if ands or buts!
If he canned, it may very will be right if the accusations are proven. But we the people are screwed. Guys like this don't grow on trees. The knowledge and skills he poseses will be sorely lost.
No one has mentioned the dedication and countless hours that Tim has spent serving KPD, KCSD and URGENT when NO ONE WAS PAYING HIM!!! Add up all the hours of phone calls, days and night, interrupting every facet of his life. The dollar amount of this transgression would seem like a bargain if all those hours were paid!
I heard the mayor had knowledge of possible double pay long ago but only acted now after his wife received a traffic ticket from KPD. I hope he isn't that shallow but in this back stabbing community who knows.
Jeremy if you did get your information from a KPD member then shame on them. I guess if you can't get promoted on merit you have to resort to dirty tricks...well played you low life, whoever you are.
The law applies to everyone, no matter who you are or what you do for a living. I can not believe that people are justifying the idea that for a police officer, it is OK to break the law just becuase he works hard and puts in more hours than he has to.
I got news for you, most people, especially business owners, put in ridiculous hours just to make it. They don't double charge customers or the boss.
It is too bad that this man felt it necessary to cheat the very taxpayers who he has served with such distinction for such a long period of time.
No matter how it was discovered, there is only one person to blame and that is the detective, he signed the time cards.
Are you kidding, 1:22? So if this proves to be true, it's all OK for a law-enforcement officer, the No. 2 leader in the KPD no less (!), to engage in a felony and steal money IF he worked unpaid time? And reporting the suspension and the serious allegations behind it is "dirty tricks" worthy of "shame" on whoever is doing the reporting?
Please tell me you're kidding.
Otherwise, we've got even bigger problems in this town than I thought.
So a class E Felon walks into court and says: Your Honor, my "transgression" is justified because I had to work at night, take calls at 1:00 AM and do what I signed up to do when I accepted the jobs that I did.
The money I received as a result of me breaking the law is therefore earned so please let me go and concentrate on the real criminals!
Wow, 1:22, and the other posters making excuses for this.
Just, wow.
If he is dirty then he should pay like we all would. Are there others as well doing the same thing. this is where the taxpayers constantly get screwed. STOP feeling sorry for a thief and thats what he is. I'm surprised he isn't an elected official also. Whats Holly gonna do now or what would Sennet do? He is a criminal
Its a shame if its true the guy had a great spot Commander of the urgent team. Flushed down the toilet because of greed..
Let's just say that there a lot of guys right now that are hoping they give him a good deal and he goes quietly into that good night. Because if he goes down hard, you are going to see a lot of people going down with him. Years and years worth. Looks like the mayor is going to get the cuts to the pd he was looking for and A LOT more.
9:43 - You're on the right track. I'm sure if DiNapoli dug into urgent/sheriffs, he would find our "deficit reduction plan". But, of course, the law doesn't apply to them. Silly me.
This dude made 170k a year ago and that is not enough? Wow, I am flabbergasted at the level of greed some people possess.
A number of school board members have questioned the little fiefdom that Tim was allowed to create as head of school district security. The entire arrangement has smelled from the beginning. Significant money was doled out to a chosen few,controlled by Matthews with little if any oversight. It was a disaster waiting to happen.
Yes, he is presumed innocent and must be given the benefit of the doubt. He is not entitled to the benefit of the doubt because he is a respected member of law enforcement. He is entitled to the benefit of the doubt
because that is our way.
Whether or not he is guilty of a crime, many people should
have recognized how problematic this arrangement was a
long time ago. It was allowed to continue and now we
have a crisis. it is long past time that the district take control over their expenditures for security.
All very sad.
Not to long ago the State Comptrollers office put notice on all employees of Government that they were investigating the double dipping of employees getting ready to retire by pumping up their salaries the last 3 years of employment which determines their State pension. This has cost taxpayers millions of dollars. Government workers retiring with huge pensions. some close to what they were making as full time employees. This action is well known to those that work in the Police and Fire Dept in Kingston. that is a fact. i would'nt be surprised to see more caught.
I hear he took four cruises last year.
Tim Matthews refused to return the keys to the safe and told Chief Keller that he couldn't becasuse it would not add up. They had to call a locksmith to open the safe and Keller was in meetings all day about it. If there is money or drugs missing than I wanna hear what the explanation is.
The mayor does not have the right not to comment. Tell us what's up your honor, I voted for you.
two words......
child support
two more words... tough shit.
Unfortunitly, there is talk of replacing Chief Keller for lack of oversight. How would he of known what went on in the school district?? bullshit.
Matthews worth every penny.
If Chief Keller has to resign because of lack of oversight (which is ridiculous, he doesn't look at time sheets), then Gretzinger should go, too.
If he is stealing money, he is a crook, no matter how many people he has assisted in the past.
Good man, and this is disturbing, however no one is above the law...
Maybe if the Detective talks we can finally find out where Mrs. Eng ended up ;)
It will all come out.
Serpico
Now let's have a lesson in character assassination. If a person that you got on some bad stuff has bad stuff on you. Then you need to find or make up more bad stuff on him to make him look as bad as possible before he drops the bomb on you. You know like if you were that person's supervisor or if you had knowledge of or participated in the shenanigans.
I hope Detective Mathews takes everyone down with him. It is time to clean house all the way to the mayors office. If Mathews screwed up and is guilty then he owes the community at least that much.
Police officials wanted to examine the evidence locker in Matthews’ office Wednesday afternoon, according to a City Hall source.
Matthews told Kingston Police Chief Gerald Keller that he wouldn’t give up his copy of the key since the money in the safe wouldn’t match with the inventory list, according to the source. Evidence lockers typically store money confiscated from drug dealers or other criminals.
Authorities called a locksmith to open up the safe and removed it from his office, the source said.
The discrepancy between what was found in the safe and the items on the inventory list was enough to charge Matthews with grand larceny.
Sounds like someone with a gambling problem...
I think anyone of us would stand up for Jerry Keller, he is a great guy ann exellent chief and a good friend. We will not allow him to be a scapegoat.
Who knew....any other day you would be calling Carnwright a buffoon, not quoting him. I hope Carnwright didn't jump the gun too soon to get the spotlight
He's still a baffoon! The gray day inlaw enforcement was 1-1-08, the day Carnright took office.
This little racket was going on for some time. Anyone who didn't realize why Sennett was such a threat to the good ole boys' little cosa nostra up there in hobbitville, had better wise up quick. You can just run down the list of every player involved in scuttling that election to expand this investigation to almost every part of the county and to both major political parties. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I saw a nice little list going on the blog of the Freeman story about Sennett running again. Ignore those morons at the expense of the public. Most of you people did then and look at mess you helped cover up. The next DA better be somebody who isn't a product of this garbage, whether it's Sennett or some other transplant. Hiring from within just ain't workin' out too well for Ulster County. Compound stupidity.
Add Holley Carnright and the Legislature to the get a clue list.
1) The Legislature not having a clue about how to unravel "the mess at the RRA"
2) County legislative leaders have effectively taken a powder on the laundry list of allegations
3) Turning investigation of the allegations over to the district attorney, as the Legislature has done, is more the abdication of political responsibility for what may or may not have happened at the agency, than it is an exercise of prudence.
4) The resulting unsuccessful prosecution by Carnright ultimately accomplished a neat whitewash of political accountability by misdirection.
5) Recent replacing the RRA Board Members sent a very odd message to the community. Former board members, Wadnola and Roberts claim to have neither seen nor heard of evil while Bemis was executive director.
very nice 9:45... right on
What a jok? Where were highly paid Sottile, Kelder and Tuey during this? 15 detectives in Kingston PD per Times Herald Record - is this a joke?
15 detectives investigating crimes already committed. Wouldn't 10 extra patrolmen in uniform on the street deterring crime be better? How much overtime was paid to the other detectives investigating this crime?
Matthews' bff throwing him under the bus cuz it's an election year. Holly Carnright will do a bare bones investigation and make a deal, he does not have the knowledge or energy to do much more. Lets not forget before Holly became the D.A., he was a divorce attorney that didnt know how to work a computer.
Honestly though I bet Matthews has enough knowledge to bury half the city, he will never do a day in jail.
You're right anyone that wants to hang their hat on catching this big fish on an election year better remember, that that big fish knows where every body is buried in Kingston.
URGENT - the crime fighting organization that keeps itself in business in perpetuity by manipulating the system. Grabs a small time crook then gets them out in the street to promote the sale of drugs and guns so URGENT can bring in the big bust roundup by setting people up. One even happened during a legislative caucus across from the County building. I say once a manipulator always a manipulator of the system. Nice Scoop Blaber.
You guys defending Keller better look a little closer. KPD needs a complete overhaul.DOES THE PUBLIC KNOW ? In the last five years: an officer failed a drug test for cocaine, went to rehab, went back to work, refused to take another test and was fired, another officer was fired for selling cocaine,an officer resigned after a near fatal dwi accident,a det sergeant and pba president retired rather abruptly, after failing a drug test for marijuana, another officer went to rehab for perscription drugs and is still on the job. AND the famous new years eve party where the mayor said KPD should have know about, well guess what, a KPD officer was there , partying !! Now this. What else doesn't the public know. Now, is that leadership by a chief. I don't think so.
I can confirm pretty much all you said but what officer was at the news year's party--that I want to know.
Let me remind you that one officer in particular his initials KN, had a substance abuse issue and Tim Matthews led the charge to get rid of him. As for WM, he can puff all he wants he was a great cop.
So if Keller is not responsible for knowing that Matthews safe inventory did not match it's contents, who would be responsible. Explain how Matthews was the only one with a key to the safe in is office. Does that sound like competent oversight?
How about the payroll scandal that is yet to come. Did Keller not know that his men were moonlighting for the school district. Is it possible that he never considered that there was double dipping going on. Not too tough to figure out that there was a possibility that it was/is happening.
Doesn't take a genius. The payroll records will speak for themselves. How about someone make a FOIL request, match up the district records against KPD and let's see how many of Matthews' chosen security corps were getting paid for being in two places at the same time.
I bet it isn't just Tim.
If Keller does not deserve the blame for the lack of oversight and foresight, then who does?
How many guys called in sick to the PD to pick up extra hours at the school? They got paid by the PD for being out sick and by the school for working. Then how about the line of guys waiting to cash in on the overtime at the PD. There was one hell of an elaborate system going on.
I think anyone with dirt, drugs or a stable of hookers in their past better be worried at this point. I bet its all coming out soon.
This really has NOTHING to do with the DA. It all has to do with KPD and is Keller blind or just stupid.
Sorry, even if you'r a great cop you can't puff all you want. Matthews was a great cop and he still can't steal.
If this is true, ... It's a sad day for us all... These are the folks that protect us from the bad guys. The ones that we were taught were our friends. Every day we see more and more of these people that, in the end, are just bullies & thieves that really should be in prison, not running around with a badge and a gun.
....It's all just pointless... a shame on us all...
Joe Marchetti said all that needed to be said in a Letter to Editor in the Freeman (Monday January 24th) - Safe, Clean and Affordable - and he outlined how to get there. I just hope the corrupt system doesn't sign contracts to kill this before 2012.
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