Ex-Suffolk PD Chief Tried To Get Out Of Arrest: Officials

BROOKHAVEN TOWN, NY — Former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke was arrested Tuesday after soliciting a male undercover officer, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said at a press briefing Tuesday.

Suffolk County Parks Rangers and Police were responding to "numerous complaints" about activity at Vietnam Memorial Park in Farmingville. The targeted response unit utilized plainclothes rangers, Harrison said.

At approximately 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, at Suffolk County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park, the Suffolk County Park Ranger’s targeted response unit arrested Burke, Harrison said.

Burke, who also served prison time for assaulting a man arrested for stealing his duffel bag — which contained porn and sex toys —was charged with offering a sex act, public lewdness, indecent exposure, and criminal solicitation, fifth degree, with additional potential charges pending, the representative said. Police are still trying to ascertain if he is still on parole, Harrison said.

Harrison said the plainclothes officer was a male, Harrison said.

Steve Laton of the Suffolk County Parks Rangers spoke about numerous complaints about the park system, including graffiti, vandalism, quality of life issues, theft, and solicitation of sex.

The plainclothes officers were only out a few minutes, ranger Brian Guattrini said.

The ranger who made the arrest did not recognize Burke, Laton said. "Not until he identified himself and said, 'Do you know who I am?'" he said.

Officials confirmed that they believed Burke was attempting to get out of being arrested. "He was expressing how this would be a public humiliation for him," Guattrini said.

Officials would not go into the details of what prompted the arrest; no one else was arrested.

There was no information given on "rumors," including answers to questions on whether or not there were drugs involved, Harrison said.

In 2019, four years after his arrest, Burke completed a federal prison sentence.

Burke, 54, of St. James, was charged in 2015 with assaulting Smithtown resident Christopher Loeb who was arrested for stealing a duffel bag with items, including sex toys and porn, from Burke's SCPD-issued SUV, as well as other police vehicles in 2012.

During the assault, Loeb was handcuffed and chained to an eyebolt fastened to the floor at the Fourth Precinct. In Jan. 2017 Burke, who was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison, was transferred to the low-security prison in Allenwood, Pennsylvania.

The exposure of Christopher Loeb's 2012 in-custody beating by Chief of Department James Burke, not only led to the top uniformed police officer's downfall, but that of his mentor, District Attorney Thomas Spota, and deputy, Christopher McPartland.

Loeb was the focal point of the criminal case, centering around his beating by Burke while tied to the floor at a precinct station house. Loeb had broken into Burke's vehicle and it was packed with a gun belt, ammunition, sex toys, and porn, according to reports.

The aftermath sent Burke, Spota, and McPartland to federal prison.

Loeb later received a $1.5 million settlement from Suffolk in 2018.

More on James Burke:

• Former Police Chief James Burke Released From Prison: Reports
• Former Suffolk Police Chief James Burke to be Transferred to Pennsylvania Prison: Report
• Former Suffolk Police Chief James Burke Sentenced to Federal Prison
• Former Suffolk Police Chief Accused of Assault, Covering up Federal Investigation

This is a breaking story. Stay tuned for updates.