Southold's 'Top DWI Cop' Sues Town Over Firing Allegedly Sparked by 'Political Pressure', Suit Says

SOUTHOLD, NY - A police officer who was named a Suffolk County "Top Cop"for his number of DWI arrests in May and fired just over two weeks later is suing Southold Town and stating he believes the firing was politically motivated.

Garrett Lake, who was fired on May 19, four days before the end of his probationary period, is represented by attorney Eric Bressler of Mattituck's Wickham, Bressler and Geasa, PC; he filed a notice of petition on June 15 with the New York State Supreme Court.

The petition states that the termination was "in bad faith" and unrelated to his work performance, and asks that Lake be reinstated with back pay.

According to the petition, the Town of Southold "bowed to political pressure" applied by the Jamesport Fire Department, "incensed by the proper arrest of Lake" of David J. McKillop, 55, of Aquebogue, a Jamesport Assistant Fire Chief who was arrested after he allegedly drove drunk and crashed his fire department vehicle into Southold street signs and then fled the scene before being arrested in Mattituck; McKillop pleaded not guilty at his arraignment.

Lake, who was working in the Mattituck sector, was contacted on February 14 by Southold Town Police Officer Robert Bopp, who was working in the Southold sector, that he was searching for a fire department chief's vehicle that had allegedly left the scene of an accident in Southold, the petition says.

After locating the vehicle, the petition states that the fire chief, his son, and a Jamesport Fire Department commissioner who were also in the car "demanded 'special treatment' and asserted 'connections' to other law enforcement agencies. Lake properly treated the arrest similarly to all other arrests and did not afford the fire chief 'special treatment,'" the petition says.

"Thereafter, the Commissioners of the Jamesport Fire Department and politicians complained to the town supervisor concerning the arrest. The Commissioners also complained to the Police Chief, who in an unusual practice, permitted a Jamesport Commissioner to view the police car video of the stop and subsequent arrests which justified the arrest. The Police Chief advised Lake that the Town Board in an executive session questioned the necessity of an arrest notwithstanding the clear evidence of the Fire Chief's intoxication and leaving the scene. The Police Chief supported the arrest...The Police Chief further advised Lake that Lake's termination of employment was brought up before the Town Board and that the Police Chief did not support the termination," the petition says.

The limo crash

The petition also states that John Helf, Sr., the vice president of the Southold Town GOP, was at the scene of last July's fatal limo crash in Cutchogue that left four young women dead.

Lake arrested the driver of the pickup, Steve Romeo, and charged him with DWI.

"Apparently, Mr. Helf was well known to and friendly with Mr. Romeo and Mr. Helf attempted to become involved in Lake's investigation but Lake did not permit such involvement," the petition reads. "Mr. Helf can be seen in the video memorializing the events at the scene. As a result of the arrest of Mr. Romeo at the scene, Lake was informed by a former Town Board member that Mr. Helf stated at Republican events that Lake would lose his job."

Several days later, the petition says that Captain Frank Kruszeski had been contacted by "Joseph Sawicki, the former Republican Suffolk County Comptroller and current Suffolk County Assistant Deputy Police Commissioner for Finance, and Mr. Sawicki had made inquiry regarding the propriety of Mr. Romeo's arrest. Upon information and belief, Mr. Sawicki also contacted the town board."

The limo driver was later charged with criminally negligent homicide; Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said that there was no way Romeo could have avoided the crash.

Romeo, Spota said, pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor DWI charge, Spota said.

The petition also states that after applying to be rehired by the Southampton Town Police Department, Lake could not be offered a position because Southold Town did not "offer a reason for his termination of employment" and it would need to be investigated. "The town's actions have at this juncture rendered Lake functionally unemployable in his chosen field and effectively ended his career in law enforcement, the petition states.

Lake's performance reviews were all "excellent," the petition states.

When asked for comment, Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell replied, "His claims have no basis."

Peter McGreevy, chairman of the Southold Town GOP, said he had no comment. Flatley did not immediately return a request for comment. Jamesport Fire Commissioners could not immediately be reached for comment.

Bressler did not immediately return a request for comment.