Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta has proposed legislation to recoup $1.5 million of taxpayer money from former Chief of Police James Burke.
Burke went to prison after he was found guilty of beating a man while in police custody. Suffolk County paid Loeb a $1.5 million settlement – and the county is still paying for the former police chief’s job benefits.
Trotta has introduced legislation that would direct the county executive and attorney to file a lawsuit against Burke for the money lost.
“The taxpayers didn’t do anything. It was the sworn officer who did something. And it was beyond, it was reckless. It was beyond the realm of what is normally acceptable. If you’re convicted of a felony for doing your job, you know, not doing your job let’s say, I don’t think you should get a pension or big payout, which he got. But now, not only that, we are paying for his bills, his lawsuits, that’s unacceptable. The taxpayers should be outraged.”
Burke was released from prison last month and has been paid more than $600,000 by the county. He still earns a yearly pension of almost $150,000.
The legislation is set to be voted on next month.