Monday, September 29, 2014

Complaint: Chief Tedesco doesn't like Irish cops (UPDATED)


I've been told by a very good source that McAvoy was trying to keep peace that night (you'll have to read the post to know what night I'm talking about) and not part of the problem. I'll say again, if there wasn't an IA investigation I would not have written about it in 2011 nor mentioned it here. I'll also say again, McAvoy and Coons are both well respected, good cops. I'll also say again, ethnicity has nothing to do with why Coons hasn't been promoted to captain.

In one of the funniest stories I’ve heard in a long time, Sgt. John Coons filed a complaint with the Division on Human Rights claiming that Chief John Tedesco refuses to promote him to captain because … are you ready for this … he’s Irish.
In the complaint, according to the Times Union, Coons claims Tedesco bypassed Coons in favor of his friends and fellow Italians, and unless Coons goes by his nickname – Coonsi – his name doesn’t end in a vowel.
Coons was ranked second on the captain’s list but was passed over in 2011, 2013 and 2014. He was promoted to sergeant in 2004 after making a lateral transfer from Cohoes to Troy in 1993.
The way Civil Service works though is you take a test and whoever is doing the hiring or promoting can pick from the top three slots. If, in one round, the person with the highest score is picked, for example, everyone slides up a notch and the second best test score becomes the best and the third becomes the second and the fourth becomes the third and is eligible for the next hire or promotion.
It gives whoever is hiring or promoting some flexibility in the process while ensuring the person getting hired isn’t just a political hack, next door neighbor or nephew.
Coons retained attorney Eric Sanders, of New York City to file the complaint. He’s the same guy who represented Anthony Conyers, a black officer who sued because he wasn’t promoted to sergeant. He’s now a sergeant but is considering another lawsuit claiming he is not getting the appropriate training, acc 
ording to the TU.
I don’t think the Division on Human Rights has any teeth though. In other words, I don’t think it can impose sanctions or penalize the TPD or Tedesco at all.
On the flip side of that, a captain makes $30,000 more than a sergeant so if Coons doesn’t think he will get it before he retires – which of course will impact his pension for many, many years to come – what’s the harm in pushing the envelope.
Let me say I’ve known Coons for a long time, probably almost as long as I was at The Record. He was always seemed like a decent sort and always went out of his way to shake my hand, talk about Troy politics or compliment me on one column or another. Even if he didn’t like the subject matter or the slant I took he still said he liked reading them.
Professionally, I’ve never heard a bad word about Coons. I always got the impression he was a solid cop who got into the business for all the right reasons and never forgot them
Until one night on Saturday, April9 2011, shortly after Tedesco snubbed him for captain in favor of Joe Centanni, who tied for third on the captain's exam while Coons placed second. And yes, as the vowel implies, Centanni is I-talian.
On that night, Coons and his cousin now Assistant Chief Buddy McAvoy had a few too many and ended up at the Red Front, where Centanni’s mom works. They started giving her somewhat of a hard time and other employees decided the best course of action was to call the cops on the cops.
I’ve certainly spent my fair share of time in and around Troy’s watering holes and still hold true to that old adage of “what happens downtown stays downtown.” The above scenario would have fit into a “what happens downtown” even though the Red Front isn’t technically in downtown. And it would have stayed right there if it weren’t for the internal affairs investigation it sparked.
When a complaint is made by the public about a police officer it may or may not warrant IA involvement, and I’ve been around long enough to know Tedesco didn’t have to order an investigation into the matter. But, like Coons, McAvoy is a good cop who was passed over for a promotion to chief and odds are the two cousins made their respective displeasure known not only at the Red Front but around the TPD too. There is no doubt in my mind Tedesco was sending a message to the two that he was the chief – like it or not.
Well, Coons and McAvoy didn’t like it and probably still don’t but that won’t make Coons a captain anytime soon and I hope a complaint to the Commission on Human Rights doesn’t either. Nothing against Coons at all, but the chief is the chief and as such he promotes who he wants so long as it's within the parameters set forth by Civil Service.
Maybe that night at the Red Front has more to do with the fact he isn’t wearing captain stripes than the fact he’s Irish.  

111 comments:

  1. To know Coons is to really appreciate this story. I hope they give him rubber bullets. Time to promote him back to Cohoes.

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    1. John was NEVER a cop in Cohoes, infact, John never lived or worked in Cohoes. John is a South Troy boy born and raised and has only worked as a cop for TPD. Funny one Italian promoted when he lied, abused prisioners, made up confession and was publicly outed by this newspaper, but one irishman who true to the irish nature has a few to many and speaks his peace is denied promotion, hmmmm lets see how the depositions go !!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    2. Favoritism and nepotism is out of control. Instead of laying off innocent people why not lay off a few that have more than enough family members working for the City.

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    3. Civil service rules don't seem to apply in Troy, so much inconsistency

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  2. Since when is sick leave abuse, public intoxication and a lack of respect from peers a path to promotion?

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    1. Path to promotion? They're job requirements.

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    2. They promoted ones already that do abuse benefits and drugs or alcohol so why not Coons who was just drunk because he was stressed not because he's a lush like quite a few of them

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  3. I have good information that Centannis great great grandmother was Irish

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  4. Fact . . no cops were ever called to Red Front for this incident. If you don't know what really happened then don't print it. Seems as though all your FACTS aren't always true.

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    1. And that's a fact Jack!!

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    2. The cops were called to the Red Front but they did not come inside because McAvoy was involved.
      Use your head!

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  5. These cousins prove the power of genetics. One is a has been and one is a never been. Tedesco runs the department on facts. The good old boy network is dead.
    Do your job , don't embarass the department and good things will happen.

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    1. That's a line of bullshit right there

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    2. Yeah like with gross

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  6. You should get your facts straight before you tell a story. McAvoy did not say a word at the Redfront that night and the cops were never called. Coon's did not give centanni's mother a hard time. She wasn't even aware of anythng that was being said. You seem to put your own spin on all of your stories and it isn't alway the whole truth.

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    1. The only reason she didn't know what was going on is because the employees kept her in the back. He was at the bar with Buddy running his mouth about her son and he knew she was there.... So did Buddy. It was so bad that his cousin.... Buddy.... Called his wife to come get him.

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    2. And how do you know this?

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    3. Isn't it obvious.....I was there at the bar. Those of us that were there were interviewed as part of the the investigation and I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only patron that voiced concern about his behavior. That's how I know this!!!

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  7. Franco, honestly, as much political BS you've covered in your entire career writing about Troy, you don't think Coons has a legitimate gripe ? There is favoritism in nearly every single department of Troy Government...down to who gets hired at DPW for Christ's sake.

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    1. He knows it but he himself is afraid of retaliation...don't mess wit da family

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  8. In regards to causing trouble at the RF with Joe Centanni's mom? That's just wrong.
    She's an absolute sweetheart.
    Maybe instead of being Troy NY's version of Rob Ford, Sgt. Coons should just focus on doing his job, keeping his nose clean, and refrain from foolish lawsuits and maybe in the next year or two when it's time to appoint a new Captain, He'll get the job.

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  9. I know his wife is italian but what nationality is kerry?

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  10. Everyone hates tedesco

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    1. I love Tedesco.

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    2. Not everybody slick

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    3. Everyone hates tedesco but the two people who posted above.

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  11. If only mcavoy was made police chief or police commissioner, we wouldn't have all these problems in the police department or crime problems in our neighborhood.

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    1. Yeah, he proved that at red front with his cuzzin.

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    2. No, it would be 100% worse. Why don't you ask Kaiser and the old time cops about the push back when they hired McAvoys cousin Coons. You'd be surprised.

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    3. Agree with 5:47. He also had a difficult time getting the promotion to sergeant until his wife went to Harry.

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  12. First of many lawsuits

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  13. The lawsuit is a pathetic attempt of a spoiled child looking for attention. The last I knew none of us were able to pick our relatives, but unless they're predator sex offenders, we put up with them out of family loyalty. Call Coons out on filing a frivilous lawsuit! But is there really any need to drag anyone else into it?

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  14. This guy is a loose canon that has shown that bad side to apparently many. The Chief is a good cop that has always done what he feels is right. This guy just needs a padding to quit and go to Florida on the taxpayers for a job he doesn't deserve.

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  15. I am a friend of Tedesco and 100% Irish, this is too funny!

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    1. Friends with him but were you hired or promoted while he was Chief? Think about it.

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  16. Don't be distracted, folks. Tedesco absolutely sucks as a police chief, but it isn't because he hates Irish cops.

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  17. John is probably one of the best officers on the force. Solid as they come. But this lawsuit is reaching just a bit.

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  18. Can't he just live on the residuals and fees he received selling the rights to the screenplay based in his home life? TUSK seems to be doing well enough at the box office.

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  19. One would think that this officers wife is working the numbers hard down at the State Retirement and sees the clock running for a padded pension. That's it.

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    1. Imagine this poor bastard he has one Italian disrespecting him at work and another Italian jumping his Irish ass at home and you all wonder why he walks around punch drunk all day.

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    2. Don't forget about the beer cart thing.....FORE!!

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    3. If he's really drunk on the job someone really needs to look into drug and alcohol testing on officers.or if that is a joke above,it wasn't funny. People's lives could be at risk with any officer that is under the influence.that's not funny at all.

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    4. Beer carts are on a golf course you idiot not drunk at work

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    5. punch drunk does not mean you are literally intoxicated from alcohol. Punch drunk refers to the term given to boxers after they have take too many blows to the head.

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  20. This lawsuit only serves to garner sympathy for Tedesco. Tedesco deserves no sympathy. Tedesco is a tiny little well creased tyrant who has destroyed the TPD.

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    1. I know the idea of doing your job must be terribly inconvenient for you.

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  21. How bout gross. Follow up story plz. And about his gumars and touch hole f in l

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    1. Gross aquitted 2015!

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    2. Here is the Gross follow up:
      NOT GUILTY

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    3. I need a new sidewalk is he available....i will pay wink wink...bd

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    4. According to who? He'd be back to work if that was true.

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    5. he would have been back to court if they had anything real......

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    6. Not yet they wouldn't there are others cases ahead of theirs

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  22. how about cleaning the streets of Troy and stop he said she said BS.

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  23. Replies
    1. Comare which means mistress in Italian. Usually depending on the dialect it is pronounced goomar or goomah and spelled the same way also.

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  24. Speaking on behalf of Irish Americans everywhere, Coons is now a free agent.

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  25. Between the COs and police officers commenting here all day it's no wonder crime runs rampant in Troy.

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  26. I heard she caught him by putting GPS on his car.

    Gorgonzola
    Pecorino
    Stracciata

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  27. Did he have "pull " to get him from the Cohoes force to the Troy force? If so, that is the " one favor max" for the Dept.

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  28. You all should stop harassing troy officers and start going after the one in records leaking all of the confidential information out to the public.. Here's a hint she takes 1000 unauthorized smoke breaks a day! .. And the city's paying for them?

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  29. 729....grasping at anything..pathetic..keep trying though it's funny

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  30. Oh and did you know if it is found that if you lied to your employer on your job application or anything for that matter including making false statements as you did above...you can be sued by the person your making false allegations against in addition to being fired by your employer?

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    1. College education missy?

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    2. Oh and did you know that in the English language there's a thing called a run on sentence and it's where there is usually a lack of a comma or period or something and if you're not careful you can get arrested by the Grammer police? So who's lying on a job application? Do tell!

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    3. Oh yes, so let's take the police off the murders, stabbings, robberies, and the like and have them investigate an address? Maybe in an almost perfect world they'd have the time for that. Me, I'd rather they go after the real criminals. And you're nuts if you think Troy is the only municipality this happens in. Why not give it a rest and just try to get along with your Co workers... You just sound so bitter.

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    4. I don't get along with liars and thugs. And no one is asking the police to look into addresses dumbass.

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    5. 550 keep pushing my buttons and I will have the information published. Do you seriously want that?!!! Just say the word and I will.

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    6. Yes do it. I'd love to know how you got confidential information such as job applications. Maybe the police should be investigating you. Or are you just trying to pull a fast one? Like numerous others have said before, bitter.

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    7. You got it and remember you asked for it!

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    8. Wow 630, you ARE as stupid as you look. Everything that was sought and obtained was through Freedom of Information. Once hired by the government, you are an open book.

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    9. The jealous are troublesome to others but a torment to themselves.

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    10. As much as I would love to agree with the open book philosophy, there are still laws. And I believe one of the FOIL lawe has to do with personal info. Title, pay grade, salary are probably fine. But when you publish addresses, that might be considered a safety issue. I might check into that a bit more. Just saying.

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    11. Jealous of fraud? Think again

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    12. Who ever buys 6:43's bull shit is just as stupid as she is. Just because you file a FOIL, doesn't mean you get access to personal records. Haha. 6:43 is so dumb. Grow up and stop being an obsessive psycho path.

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    13. Meow cat people are crazy

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    14. Is that what her criminal cop cousin said?

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    15. Stupid is red they say

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    16. What personal records are being accessed? If the PBA can access all of Dohertys constituents names and addresses so can anyone else, it's called Freedom for a reason.

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    17. Its so sad that your so jealous of her and her job. Your clearly bored and insecure to be spending all your time foiling payroll records and addresses. Maybe if you spent half that time actually doing work at the police station, you would be offered a better position. Its evident that you need to try and hurt another person to feel good about yourself. Pathetic!

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    18. No one is jealous or insecure about someone who got a job through corruption or by a relative getting them their job. There is nothing impressive about how she got her job.

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  31. Clearly the leak is connected to Franco seeing as he won't post any comments and probly won't post this one

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    1. Mine from October 8 never got published. I thought it was great too!

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    2. You shouldn't think

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  32. Apparently some people have way too much time on their hands. Maybe an audit is in order. If people have time to "people watch" and file ridiculous lawsuits then who is doing their jobs?

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    1. It's done on free time. When you are an innocent person and you get attacked through no fault of your own, you stand up for yourself, period. Bullies need to be disciplined, plain and simple.

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  33. Maybe is I change my hair color no one will. Know what I truly stand for

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  34. I agree an audit is a great idea then those who are on smoke breaks all day or emailing all day and not doing their work can be penalized especially when others in the dept run circles around them.

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    1. Lol...run around in circles for their own tail that is!

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    2. Or hanging out in city hall with their boyfriends when they should be working. Or working at an outside employer on Fridays when they should be working.

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    3. What are you? An owl?

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  35. Who says they are doing it while they are working!!!

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  36. And yes, that's exactly what us needed. An audit!!! Be careful what you wish for

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  37. I hear somebody's feathers got ruffled

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    Replies
    1. The Mayor now knows, the City council knows, the AG knows and IRS now know as well

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  38. Cuz she doesn't live in troy

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    1. She and about 30 others. That is the problem. Do you not see the issue with that? The ship is sinking. Last hired, first fired. Remember that. Pink slips are coming.

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  39. When a women feels the need to try and disgrace another in the immature and low class way done here...they have some serious issues with themself. Feel very sorry for your lack of self esteem. Embarassed for you!

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    1. Shows u couldn't graduate college and needed a fireman to cosign for your new little sports car

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  40. 956 embarrassed for who ? If her looking out for the city's best interest is low class, then you are the one that needs to get your priorities straight and find another employer. You are a part of the problem.

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