Suspended Clarkstown Police Chief to Run for Supervisor

CLARKSTOWN, NY — Suspended Clarkstown Police Chief Michael Sullivan announced his candidacy Monday evening for Town Supervisor.

He's challenging first-term incumbent George Hoehmann, who has led the fight to oust Sullivan and who announced his plans to run for a second term at the same location, the Veterans Memorial Association building in Congers.

The audience of about 175 people attending Sullivan's announcement, heard him turn the charges against himself into a campaign platform. He called for budget reform and told them Clarkstown had become a place where phone calls are monitored, emails intercepted and "innocent associations noted," The Journal News reported. He vowed to bring civility back to Clarkstown politics.

Some of the disciplinary charges against Sullivan allege the unlawful surveillance of members of law enforcement running for office, elected officials including members of the judiciary, Clarkstown residents and residents of the surrounding community.

Sullivan was suspended July 20, 2016. The move had to do in part with his refusal to immediately remove Clarkstown police Sgt. Stephen Cole-Hatchard from his role as director of the Rockland County Strategic Intelligence Unit. It also has to do with allegations against other officers over political contributions and disability pay. And it has to do with comments made on social media by Sullivan and by the town supervisor's chief of staff.

Sullivan says Hoehmann had been trying to oust him since Sgt. Michael Garvey had been fired after the 3-year disability fight.

Sullivan is one of the highest-paid local government officials in the state of New York, and the Clarkstown police department is one of the highest-paid (second only to Ramapo). Sullivan was the ninth-highest-paid local government official in New York state in 2014-15, with a salary of $272,037, according to the Empire Center’s 2015 “What They Make” report.

Hoehmann's campaign issued a statement after Sullivan's rally. Citizens for Hoehmann Campaign Manager Karen Amatuzzo said:

“It’s strange Chief Sullivan would choose the night before Tax Day to announce his candidacy since he has left Clarkstown taxpayers on the hook for a $3 million increase in the police budget, a record $1 million increase in overtime and nearly half the force making over $200,000 a year. It’s clear Clarkstown can’t afford Michael Sullivan.”

In addition, the campaign released a web ad entitled “Don’t Go Back,” contrasting what they called "Chief Sullivan’s mismanagement and reckless spending while head of the Clarkstown Police Department" against Supervisor Hoehmann’s leadership, which they say has resulted in reduced spending, increased violations for illegal housing and the first tax cut in more than 30 years.