Rally for Suspended Clarkstown Police Chief Tuesday

A rally in support of Clarkstown's suspended police chief has been scheduled for Tuesday in New City, according to the Nyack Free Press.

Michael Sullivan was suspended Wednesday.

"Following a unanimous decision by the Town Board, Chief Michael Sullivan has been suspended. While the Town cannot comment on ongoing investigations and personnel matters, we take disciplinary matters very seriously," said Vincent Balascio, Chief of Staff / Director of Finance, in a written statement.

Sullivan has been with the department since 1987 and has been its chief for five years.

He 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).

He told News 12 that he was shocked by the Town Board's move.

"I expect to be fully exonerated," he told News 12 reporter Blaise Gomez. "There was no misconduct whatsoever."

At the beginning of 2016, the new town administration commissioned an outside consultant, the Bonadio Group, to do a thorough review of the police department. That report has not been issued.

The Journal News reported that a lawsuit filed Friday against the Town Board by a Clarkstown police sergeant who used to head something called the Rockland County Strategic Intelligence Unit alleges that Sullivan's suspension is related to his ouster as the unit's director — and that his ouster was related to political contributions to local Republicans by a dismissed police officer.

The rally to support Sullivan will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in front of the New City Fire House on Maple Avenue.