Suffolk DA Review Of Police Commish Timesheets Done: Report

YAPHANK, NY — The Suffolk District Attorney's review of allegations former police commissioner Rodney Harrison falsified timesheets to get a larger payout at his departure from the police department has concluded with no other action expected, according to a report in Newsday.

Harrison was accused of falsifying his timesheets in a news release last month by Legis. Rob Trotta, who says he was alerted that they were changed from vacation to sick days by multiple members of the department.

In a statement, Tierney said his office "frequently" receives inquiries regarding time sheets at the end of the year pertaining to various county departments.

“The district attorney’s office takes these inquiries seriously and endeavors to work with all county departments to ensure that all wage hours are properly documented and accounted for," he said. "This year was no different than past years."

After his office received the inquiries, staffers consulted with department heads from "all applicable agencies," including the police, and "concluded that no further action was required,” Tierney told Newsday, adding, “Any investigation into these matters were not specific to any one individual or any one county department."

Trotta said, in his opinion, the "only reason" why Harrison "is not under arrest is because he changed the days back," adding, "he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar."

Despite the first change from vacation days to sick days, which are paid once personnel leave the department, what took place should be chargeable, according to Trotta.

"The District Attorney has discretion, and he decided that he wasn't going to do it; that's his prerogative," Trotta said. "It would have been a much better crime if he got the money and it would have been grand larceny. He probably would have gotten about $15,000 to $20,000 in vacation time that he would have cashed out."

Patch has attempted to reach Harrison.

In a statement to Patch, Harrison previously said: "I have dedicated my career to law enforcement, not politics, and these wild and baseless allegations by a politician will not undermine or diminish the crucial work we have completed over the last two years."

He announced he was resigning in November after only two years at the department's helm and amid the Gilgo Beach serial killings investigation.

It came weeks after he joined the victims' attorney John Ray in a news conference releasing new information about the case. It was a move that appeared to anger Tierney, who sent out a statement airing his disappointment that his office was not kept in the loop.

Outgoing County Executive Steve Bellone, who appointed Harrison, fired back at Trotta in a statement to News 12.

"Just months after admitting that he was secretly recording private conversations with the police commissioner, Trotta is back making more outrageous accusations about one of the most highly respected law enforcement officers in our state and nation," he said.