As previously reported in the South Shore Press, Harrison was called into question by Suffolk Legislator Robert Trotta, a former county detective and frequent police critic, for changing leave days to sick days, which would have given him more money as he separated from the public service. Trotta pressed District Attorney Raymond Tierney to open an investigation.
“After receiving these inquiries, we consulted with department heads from all applicable agencies, including the SCPD, and concluded that no further action was required,” Tierney said in a statement, noting, “Any investigation into these matters was not specific to any one individual or any one county department.”
According to Tierney, his office frequently receives tips 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. This year was no different than past years.”
Harrison did not dispute changing his time sheets, arguing that it is done routinely by department personnel. After consulting with the county attorney, however, he said he changed his back to the way they were originally submitted. The commissioner served two years with Suffolk after a long career with the New York City Police Department. He was onboard when the Gilgo Beach murder investigation produced a suspect and has been involved in implementing the department’s 1,000-page reform plan, which called for the outfitting of police officers with body cameras. He earned $220,000 annually as commissioner.
County Comptroller John Kennedy said Harrison’s final payout has not yet been calculated by his office. The additional monies he would have received by altering his time sheets would have been about $10,000, county officials previously reported. “We have nothing against the former commissioner getting what is owed to him,” Kennedy said.
Trotta has a history of tangling with his former department and the PBA. He was taken off the legislature’s public safety committee after he threatened to play a recording of a conversation he had with Harrison. “The DA used his discretion and decided not to arrest the outgoing police commissioner,” Trotta said. “That doesn't change the facts.”
"We're glad Commissioner Harrison has been vindicated,” said Police Benevolent Association President Lou Civello. “This appears to have been another cheap political stunt by Legislator Trotta. Anything he alleges should be met with skepticism considering his history of false and fraudulent accusations."
Suffolk’s new county executive, Edward Romaine, who took office January 1, has made replacing Harrison a top priority. When he submitted his resignation just prior to the November election, Harrison said he wanted the new county executive to choose his own commissioner.