By Dan Murphy
County Legislator Damon Maher has come under criticism for his verbal abuse of a Westchester County Police sergeant who was invited to speak to the New Rochelle School Board concerning the training of school safety officers. According to several accounts, Maher – who serves on the County Board of Legislators’ Public Safety Committee – accused Sgt. Bernhardt and the county police of racial profiling and the sharing of information with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.
Michael Hagen, Westchester County Police Benevolent Association president, wrote the following letter to BOL Chairman Ben Boykin after the incident, dated March 28:
“I am writing to discuss a recent interaction between Legislator Damon Maher and Sgt. Amery Bemhardt, assigned to the Patrol Division, School Resource Officer Unit. Chief Calabrese was contacted by a representative of the Board of Legislators with a request to appear before the New Rochelle School Culture and Climate Committee meeting March 27 to discuss the role and training aspects of school resource officers in the schools.
“Chief Calabrese contacted New Rochelle Superintendent Hastie, who advised that this was an informational awareness for the school board and the public on how our SRO program and training is conducted. Sgt. Amery Bernhardt was assigned to make the presentation at the meeting, appeared before the committee, gave his presentation, and then answered questions from members of the committee.
“During a public question portion of the meeting, Westchester County Legislator Damon Maher proceeded to attack Sgt. Bernhardt’s integrity, and make statements that indicate that Legislator Maher harbors an anti-law enforcement bias. At one point, a committee member even interceded on behalf of Sgt. Bernhardt, reminding Legislator Maher that Sgt. Bernhardt was a guest, there to share his expertise involving school resource officers and not to be ‘grilled.’
“Legislator Maher’s comments that Sgt. Bemhardt was ‘disingenuous’ about his knowledge of the demographics of school districts in northern Westchester, about police sharing information with ICE, leading to the deportation of students, and his allegation that officers have implicit biases toward students, and treat them differently based on race, were inappropriate and completely uncalled for.
“Legislator Maher’s outrageous comments indicate his bias toward, and contempt for, the law enforcement community. It is difficult for the members of the Westchester County Police PBA to see how Legislator Maher can be an impartial and effective member of the Public Safety Committee given this bias, and as such, we request that you reconsider his assignment to this committee. I look forward to further discussing this matter with you.” (End of Hagen letter.)
Three of the four republicans on the county board requested that Legislator Maher be removed from the Public Safety Committee, writing in a joint statement:
“We have been informed, through a letter from PBA President Mike Hagan, that at the New Rochelle School Culture and Climate Committee meeting March 27, 2019, Legislator Damon Maher publicly attacked the integrity of Westchester County Police Sgt. Amery Bernhardt. We are shocked to learn of the anti-law enforcement sentiments expressed and the hostility directed at Sgt. Bernhardt by our fellow legislator.
“We are also dismayed that Legislator Maher, who is currently a member of the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee, would make unfounded and outrageous accusations of racial profiling and abuse of authority directed at our own county police personnel.
“This type of blatant bias and contempt for law enforcement has no place on the Board of Legislators and Legislator Maher has demonstrated that he certainly has no place providing oversight of our county police on the Public Safety Committee.
“Three members of the GOP Caucus of the Board of Legislators – Minority Leader John Testa, Minority Whip Gordon Burrows and Public Safety Committee Chairwoman Margaret Cunzio – respectfully request that Chairman Ben Boykin replace Legislator Maher on the Public Safety Committee with a legislator who has an unbiased and reality-based view of the critical and dangerous work that our law enforcement personnel do every day on the streets and in our schools throughout Westchester County.
“We also hope that if Legislator Maher intends to continue serving as Westchester County legislator, he will publicly apologize to Sgt. Amery Bernhardt and the rest of our law enforcement personnel for his false accusations and hostility shown at a public meeting.” (End of statement.)
The fourth county board republican, Legislator David Tubiolo from Yonkers, did not add his name to the statement, but added
“I have had an opportunity to speak to both sides and review the details of the exchange between Legislator Damon Maher and Sgt. Amery Bernhardt at the New Rochelle School Board’s Climate and Culture Committee. Although I appreciated my colleague’s attempt to be diligent, as elected officials it is imperative that we demonstrate respect and appreciation of our law enforcement officers.
“In my opinion, Westchester’s police department is the finest in the state. All our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to keep our residents safe and protect our community. We must never, ever forget that. “I stand firmly and gratefully and proudly with our men and women in blue and with the all of Westchester County’s law enforcement officers. I commend the work of Sgt. Bernhardt as a school resource officer and I thank county Police Commissioner Thomas Gleason and PBA President Sgt. Mike Hagan for their outstanding leadership,” stated Tubiolo.
