Sections
Neighborhoods
Features
Follow Us
NHI Newsletter
Legal Notices
Some Favorite Sites
- 5 Snacks After 10
- Abram Katz
- African independent
- At Risk for HD
- Back To Basics
- barista
- Branford Eagle
- Business NH
- Conn Art Scene
- Cornwall-On-Hudson
- Crosscut
- CT Business Litig
- CT Capitol Report
- CT Energy Blog
- CT Enviro Headlines
- CT Green Scene
- CT Law Tribune
- CT Local Politics
- CT Mirror
- CT News Junkie
- CT Watchdog
- CTV
- Design New Haven
- Gotham Gazette
- Hartford Guardian
- Josiah Brown
- Karman Turn
- La Voz Hispana
- Laurel Club
- Len's Lens
- Magrisso Forte
- Media Attache
- Media Nation
- Medical Intelligence
- Middletown Eye
- MinnPost
- My Left Nutmeg
- NBC Connecticut
- NH Advocate
- NH Register
- NH Review of Books
- NH Youth Map
- Northampton Media
- OneWorld
- Only In Bridgeport
- Oral History Project
- Reddit NH
- Road To Greenness
- Saved By Design
- See Click Fix
- Smartpill Design
- Specials In NH
- St. Louis Beacon
- Taste Of NH
- Tom Ficklin
- Valley Independent Sentinel
- Voice of SD
- VT Digger
- WFSB-TV
- WPKN Today
- WTNH
- Yale Daily News
- YourCT
Government/ Community Links
- Advocate Calendar
- Agency on Aging
- Animal Shelter Volunteers
- Arte Inc.
- Arts Council
- Beth El Keser Israel
- Bike New Haven
- Chamber of Commerce
- Children's Museum
- City of New Haven
- CitySeed
- Citywide Youth
- Community Loan Fund
- Community Mediation
- ConnCAN
- Creative Arts Workshop
- CT BAEO
- CT Tech Council
- Dariba Referrals
- Data Haven
- Elm City Cycling
- Elmseed
- Empower NH
- Friends Of Wooster Sq.
- GAVA
- Habitat For Humanity
- Info New Haven
- IRIS
- Jazz Haven
- Jewish Federation
- Job Finder
- Junta
- Labor History
- LEAP
- Legal Aid Network
- Literacy Coalition
- Magrisso Forte
- Mary Wade
- Music Haven
- New Haven 828
- New Haven Chorale
- New Haven Reads
- New Life Corp.
- NH Bulletin
- NH Land Trust
- NH Symphony
- NH/Leon Sister City
- NHS
- Orchestra NE
- PAR
- Parents Available to Help
- Pat Dillon
- Peace News
- PechaKucha
- Planned Parenthood
- Police
- Promoting Enduring Peace
- Public Allies CT
- Public Library
- Public Schools
- Public Works
- Rainbow Girls
- Register Calendar
- REX
- ROOF
- SAMA
- SCSU Events
- Share Our Voices
- Shubert
- Solar Youth
- Soul-O-Ettes
- Squash Haven
- United Way
- Urban Design League
- Urban Resources Initiative
- Ward 25 Blog
- Ward 26 Blog
- Westville Chabad
- Westville Renaissance
- Westville Synagogue
- Workforce Alliance
- Yale Events
- Yeshiva NH Shul
- Yeshiva Of NH
- Youth Continuum
4 Vie To Lead Cop Union In Transition
by Paul Bass | May 11, 2011 2:29 pm
(24) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author
Posted to: Business/Labor/ Economic Development, Legal Writes
One “sickened” candidate vowed to succeed a “perk”-grabbing president who ran the union as a “private club.” That president in turn called the candidate a “criminal” and a “disgrace.”
Welcome to New Haven Slugfest 2011.
Alternatively known as: “Lou Cavaliere’s Last Hurrah.”
Or, to be precise: the election of a new president for New Haven’s restive police union, AFSCME Council 15 Local 530. It takes place from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at police headquarters.
It’s not just any election. Lou Cavaliere has run the union for 30 years. Now he’s stepping down.
Four different cops are running to take his place—with elbows flying, and with the colorful Cavaliere still very much a part of the campaign despite his retirement.
The candidates—Sgt. Anthony Zona and Officers Arpad Tolnay, Dave Coppola, and Mitchell Berger—running at a time of tension and transition for New Haven’s approximately 430-member force. Fresh faces are contending for other union board positions, too.
The new union president will face difficult negotiations with City Hall, which amid a budget crisis is seeking to boost how much officers contribute toward pensions and health care; to lower cost-of-living increases for retirees; and to require the typical cop to work 25 years, not 20, before retiring. (Last year’s average retiree was 48 years old and received a $74,400 annual pension.) Negotiations have stalled; the two sides may end up in arbitration. The contract runs out June 30.
The new president faces a younger rank and file demanding a tougher line against the city in negotiations to preserve benefits. A wave of retirements is expected in coming months; those who have filed to retire or expected to include Capt. Leo Bombalicki, Capt. Bryan Kearney, Cavaliere, and Officer William Hurley. Angered by the layoffs of 16 cops in February, 200 cops marched into the chief’s office, then through downtown streets to the mayor’s office. The cops also voted 246-21 to express “no confidence” in top police brass. So one issue in the campaign is how hard a line to take with City Hall, and who can take it. (Cavaliere, despite a penchant for combative public comments, said he stepped in down in part because some younger members have unrealistic views about negotiating strategy amid hard fiscal times for the city.)
Meanwhile, another, internal, issue has emerged: how should the police union run? That has turned out to be the more contentious question.
A “Private Club”?
Coppola, a 23-year veteran of the force and some years the top recipient of overtime work, has made that question the centerpiece of his campaign.
Coppola refused to comment for this article. But he expressed his views at length in a two-page campaign flyer posted on the bulletin board of the police department’s second-floor lounge.
It begins with a slogan: “Would it be nice to have a union president who didn’t receive perks?”
“Along with you, I’ve become increasingly sickened by the direction our union officers have taken us,” Coppola continued. “The outgoing president [Cavaliere] received a $200.00 per week stipend, month’s car payment, personal auto insurance, fuel reimbursement and an open credit card without the requirement that its actually being disclosed to the membership. If elected, I will abolish that practice.
“I pledge a thorough, regularly updated and transparent accounting of all Union funds, including dues, fundraising income, donations, expenses, fees and investments.”
Cavaliere read Coppola’s notice. Let’s just say he didn’t agree with the allegations.
“I can stand by any money that was spent by the union” when “a criminal [Coppola] starts to try impugn my reputation,” Cavaliere said in an interview.
Cavaliere said the union membership voted in 1997 to allow the president, whoever that is, to receive $400 month for a leased car and $200 a week for a stipend to compensate for the overtime work a cop sacrifices when taking the position. (A union president can’t serve as a supervisor because he might end up disciplining a cop he then might have to represent.) Cavaliere said he paid for his own car insurance and always accounted for every penny spent.
“He’s really intimating that there was a misuse of funds in the union,” Cavaliere said. He claimed that Coppola has a vendetta against him over a failed effort to restore his seniority rights years back when Coppola quit, then rejoined, the force.
And Cavaliere claimed that Coppola, in fact, is the one who can’t be trusted with money. He cited—and provided a copy of—a 2005 settlement agreement in which Coppola agreed to pay $300 to the city and serve a 15-day unpaid suspension after failing to account for money collected on an extra-duty job at the old Shaw’s supermarket. Cavaliere also provided a copy of a letter from State’s Attorney Michael Dearington in connection with that case. It read in part: “There is probably cause to believe that Officer Coppola requested and received in excess of two hundred dollars of unauthorized reimbursement.” (Dearington added that “criminal prosecution is not warranted” because of “the amount of money and sanctions available to your department.”)
At the time the Register’s William Kaempffer reported, “Coppola on at least 10 occasions took cash or checks written to cash from contractors, but never submitted the funds to the city. It is policy to turn over the money to the city, which takes an 8 percent administrative fee and withholds state and federal taxes. Coppola must repay the city $300 for the administrative fees. He also was accused of circumventing regulations by having contractors call him directly when they needed an officer, instead of going through the extra-duty office. One contractor told investigators that Coppola showed up at a building construction site and threatened to arrest someone if a drywall truck unloaded because their sidewalk permit had expired. Coppola then allegedly provided his cell phone number and said the contractor should call him directly when he needs an officer.”
“Dave Coppola is a disgrace. He’s an admitted thief. He should turn his gun and badge in,” Cavaliere said. “He doesn’t deserve to be a police officer when he admitted he stole money from the city. Dave is a hateful person and he spreads lies.”
Apprised of Cavaliere’s remarks, Coppola still refused to comment. He has a reputation in the department of not shrinking from a confrontation, no matter how powerful the person he’s facing; click here to read about one such instance.
Experience & Change
Lou Cavaliere’s not running in Thursday’s election. A longtime ally, Sgt. Anthony Zona, is. That has made for tricky navigating.
On the one hand, Zona, a 22-year veteran of the force, is stressing his experience to argue that he is best qualified to negotiate with the city and fight for members. (“Quite frankly, I’m the most connected guy to get things done.”) He has served on the local union’s executive board for eight years. (He’s the treasurer.) And he is president of the parent union, AFSCME Council 15; that council represents around 4,200 cops from 62 municipalities, including New Haven, Bridgeport and Waterbury. Zona made a point in an interview of paying tribute to Cavaliere’s long tenure and his commitment to the union. “Lou Cavaliere was a great teacher,” he said.
At the same time, Zona sought to claim a stake to the change vote, as well. (Click on the video at the top of the story to watch a fired-up speech about the mayor at the police protest.) “Louis is an old-time labor guy. You know how it is. You go in, you pound your fist, you tell them you’re going to do certain things, you go ahead and you do that,” Zona said. “There is a time and a place for that. ... I’m going to do things a little differently. We’re going to get involved at the local level a little more, politically. We’re going to clean up our reputation. I’ll leave at that that.”
That hasn’t stopped the person considered a leading contender, Officer Tolnay, for taking aim at Zona’s ties to the old guard. Zona said he was miffed to see a letter from Tolnay posted in the men’s locker room alleging that he lied about lobbying at the state capital in favor of a pro-labor bill (to allow rank-and-file cops, like police brass, to transfer to new departments without earning new physical fitness certification). Zona said he did play a key role in drafting the proposal and that he also drafted a statement to be read at a legislative hearing; at the last minute he had to have a staffer read it at the hearing because he was busy with the anti-City Hall protests back home in New Haven. He also rejected a Tolnay charge that he has been missing too many union meetings. “If I missed eight union meetings in eight years, that’s a lot,” he said.”
Meanwhile, Zona also fended off a charge by Coppola in his posted notice that the union shouldn’t belong to AFSCME Council 15, over which Zona presides. Coppola argued that the local should withdrawn and spend its “over $200,000” in annual dues instead on “two full-time lawyers and a secretary.”
“The new Union must operate as a business, not a private club, as it often does,” Coppola wrote.
Zona called the annual AFSCME dues money well spent. AFSCME has a full-time executive director, four staff attorneys, and two lobbyists, all of whom provide valuable expertise and other help in advancing the local’s cause, he said. He said withdrawing from AFSCME “would be a mistake, especially going into these contract negotiations and going into arbitration. AFSCME’s research department is great. Their actuarial department is great. They provide a lot of service at times like this that would cost the local thousands of dollars.”
Mayor Slayer
Officer Tolnay, who couldn’t be reached for comment, can stake the biggest anti-City Hall claim of any of the candidates: He sued the mayor and other city officials, and walked away with $1.5 million (before his lawyer got paid). The case stemmed from a 2002 incident in which Tolnay arrested two politically connected Fair Haven ministers on a church Sunday over a noise complaint. The police subsequently dropped the charges; the mayor apologized to the ministers. Tolnay sued after he was suspended and transferred, claiming retribution. He originally won $5 million before a judge reduced the jury award.
Tolnay maintained his anti-City Hall tone in a 2010 comment posted on an Independent story: “This city is and continues to be a Liviable City where despite the crime rate their is a sense of security..and NOT because of City Hall and the non-appreciation for our services but because we still have great cops who are dedicated to doing their service and protecting the people of this city despite the criticism of a “few” yet “chosen” residents of the city. Great Job on the part of the extra duty officers that chose to run to the location and apprehend a criminal at large.
“If your city and their administration wont appreciate your actions I certainly do and know that your fellow cops always do.”
In a campaign flyer posted at the police department, Tolnay, a member of the union’s executive board, spoke more generally about how he has always fought hard “in contract negotiations, as well as internal affairs and chief disciplinary meetings. I have always ensured that my actions on your behalf have been without prejudice and to the best of my ability.”
In his own flyer posted at the department, the fourth candidate, Officer Berger, stressed his experience as both a cop (first in Waterbury, then New Haven) and as a private attorney and state fraud investigator. (He didn’t return phone messages seeking comment and a photo for this article.)
“I have prepared, tried and argued cases in all Connecticut courts and have successfully represented and vigorously educated on behalf of thousands over the past thirty years,” he wrote.
“I will fight for you to stop any further layoffs and will work to ensure the preservation of our existing hard earned pension and medical benefits.”
Post a Comment
Comments
posted by: Ken on May 11, 2011 3:28pm
As a young officer I wish Cavaliere was staying but he’s not. So heres my take on this. Coppola is out, he does not care about any of us and is doing this for his own gain. Berger may be a Lawyer but he has never been on the street and doesn’t know our needs and if he was a good lawyer why did he come to work here. Word is the city is going to force his retirement due to an injury a few years ago. I like Tolnay he is a nice guy but he has not been on the street much and he has also been out or work a lot. I am concerned about his union experience, the lawsuit he won and how the Mayor will treat him during negotiations. Sergeant Zona has a rough delivery at times but I have always known him to be very honest and fair and he is on the street with us. I also believe he is the most experienced union member we have right now and in these hard contract times thats what we need. Sarge you have my vote! I hope we all do the right thing, I have a lot of years left.
posted by: Ellis Copeland on May 11, 2011 4:45pm
What an interesting soap opera. ... Why are cops allowed to be unionized in the first place? And the “average” pension is $74,000?!?!?!? What the &^%^ is up with that?
posted by: hahaha on May 11, 2011 4:46pm
well Ken, you said it right, “as a young officer”, you obviously haven’t experienced enough yet, Dave may be in it for himself, but I believe he has a lot to offer, I don’t much about Berger because he hasn’t been around very long and he’s been in the chief’s office most of his time with us, I haven’t talked to Tolnay and I’m not sure what he has to offer. But I’ve known Zona for a long time, lots of personal conversation and I know for a fact that he’s not in the game help the team. He’s in it for himself. I hope whoever comes out on top in this one helps all members of 530 and not just the select few that can return favors.
posted by: Ex-NHPD on May 11, 2011 6:17pm
Though I am no longer with the NHPD, I still have many friends there. I am concerned about their future and the future of the Union. I spent over 25 years at the NHPD and served three terms on the Executive Board.
In my opinion, this is the most important election that members of the NHPD have had in their lifetime. There is the potential for an entire Board being elected that lacks the experience needed to face the travails of both the current contract negotiations and the day to day representation of the rank and file.
To sweep out all of the current Board Members who are seeking election would be a catastrophic mistake. This is the time to vote in some “New Blood” to cut their teeth on the Board and begin to develop experience. But, these new ones must serve with, and learn from, current Board Members.
As far as the Presidential race, I think one would have to go with the most experienced candidate. Hands down, that is Zona. He has the experience on both the Local and Council level, as well as great insight into the day to day operation of the Union in his role as Treasurer. He also has the ability to teach those new members who are voted in, and integrate their ideas and suggestions to keep the union moving ahead.
posted by: Blue Thunder on May 11, 2011 7:55pm
Arp has the stones to stand up against city hall and the brains to beat them. Zona will be the 1st to fall into bed with them if it means something for him. What ‘experience’ does he have? Louie ran everything and Zona just rode his coattails.
posted by: Lou Monte on May 11, 2011 8:44pm
If experience is what counts than Mitch is the best candidate. He’s been a litigator, a judge, and a police officer. Tony “Ken” Zona can’t hold a candle to that. No matter who gets elected tomorrow, I wish them the best. I was sorry to see all the backbiting leading up to the election.
posted by: Brother Officer not NHPD on May 11, 2011 9:44pm
Here we go again. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. The first thing the current Union board could do is NOT to air the dirty laundry or take skeletons out of closets like this. You just made the NHPD look more like crap. Not just NHPD, but police in general. A total disrespect for the job. The fact that you are digging deep shows that you Cavaliere are not a professional as you claim and your prior INTEGRITY claim crap is BS. You are as corrupt as they come. And your personal gains from monopolizing the union all these years will never be accounted for. And Zona as well. You both need to go. After all these years in this together you both know the secrets. You are supposed to be the examples and instead you seek out the media and start this BS outside of the confines of the department. You are a shame to everyone who wears a uniform and to all officers who have entrusted themselves to you or may to any union in the future. Why not FOI all of the IA’s on all your officers and get them in the newspaper? As far as the other candidate, any of them would be better than you. Coppola stands no gain from this potential position and will surely lose money by taking it. He works hard and is always available to the City of New Haven to work. Anyone can make as much as he does, you have to go to work to do it. I believe everything that I have heard about you and I am sure there is more. I can only hope you go down like you should. You are an embarassment to the New Haven Police Department and the City of New Haven. Kudos to the candidates who offered no comment. That is professionalism, class and intelligence.
posted by: one who knows on May 11, 2011 10:22pm
Zona has very little experience. He’s been nothing more than a treasurer. If he’s your best shot, you’re in trouble. ... I’ll tell you right now, if he gets re elected there, he’s going to have some explaining to do. ... He misuses his position at Council 15, do you really want that at a local level too?
posted by: depressing on May 11, 2011 10:58pm
Does anyone else get the feeling that the police spend a lot more energy and emotion worrying about their pay ($74,000!!!!) and benefits than they do about making New Haven safer? If only this much passion went into enforcing laws, or figuring out how to improve lamentable record of solving homicides. I think a lot of us citizens just feel abandoned—by the police AND by city hall. New Haven deserves better.
posted by: huggy bear on May 12, 2011 6:39am
The mayor is getting exactly what he wants, a divided union.
posted by: Good Luck on May 12, 2011 8:54am
I want to wish all the candidates good luck today. Whoever wins, I hope that you will be fair to all membership. If you are going to go against the contract for one member, then you must change the language so that all could benefit as did that one. It’s not right to make a special stipulation for one member but not allow others to get the same benefit just because you don’t like them.
posted by: Frank Lombardi on May 12, 2011 9:11am
Detective Jodi Novella has no intention of retiring at this time The article is not accurate in that regard.
posted by: Glasshouses on May 12, 2011 10:34am
... “Brother officer not NHPD”, you should speak to your husband about “airing” dirty laundry. Dave started the mudslinging (and no matter how much he does, he has no proof of ANY impropriety by Lou). Lou has no reason to “air” anything out .... If he showed up at union meetings, he’d have a clue about how union money is spent (and raise concerns there, or even in the union office). Lou is not running for re election. He just doesn’t deserve to retire with people talking BS about him. He’s done more for the Local 530 than anyone else has or will ever do. Yes, it’s a shame that the election had to come to this. Divide and conquer. Very sad time at NHPD right now. If you believe that Lou is corrupt then you believe everything Dave tells you. And believe you me, he’s BSed you more than anyone. You’re a smart girl, open your eyes! Dave is a disgrace for stealing city money (and agreeing to his punishment, admittedly). He could have not accepted the deal and risked losing his job ... Dave works hard for Dave, not the city. Surely he wasn’t thinking about the city when he was ripping them off. He’s just upset that, after Lou got Dave’s job back for him (after Dave left the police force ...) he didn’t get his seniority back. No one gets their seniority back when they’ve left…that’s a fact. He got everything else back (vacation, seniority for longevity, grade A pay…) ...
posted by: anon on May 12, 2011 10:49am
GO TOLNAY!!! Rasile, Barrett…. its a shame that all these people have no idea what it takes to get a $74,000 pension…. Zona with experience…ha ha ha .... he and Tolnay joined the Union at the same time…. if he had so much pull then why didn’t he use it during the last negotiations!!
All said an done this Union body needs to work together and work on getting a new Mayor!!!
posted by: Really? on May 12, 2011 12:37pm
Really? A Union President contributed the information to this article? A man’s true colors show through at the end of his career. Every member of the NHPD union should think twice about this article and how and why it is in the paper. Then think about a fellow officer entrusted as president for so many years. Whether you like someone or not it is just wrong in every sense of the word. I would say Cavaliere is the hateful one. And a disgrace. Not to mention a liar. Is Coppola paying his union dues every week? I would say you owe him a freakin refund. There is no way as president that you should be allowed to publicly speak about another union member like this. ...
posted by: Greg on May 12, 2011 12:57pm
This is not a union, this is a good ole boy network. You guys should stand back and read your comments, disgusting. If this is how you treat each other over a union position, i can only imagine how you act towards the New Haven public. This sounds like a gang in the prisons to me. Someone mentioned divide and conquer, what a waste.
posted by: Nick on May 12, 2011 1:50pm
This is an incredibly important election, so I hope the police union chooses wisely. The union president has the power to set the tone of the interactions of the police force with the New Haven public. Since a police force can only be effective if it has the public’s respect, the union - for the sake of the entire department - needs to choose someone who can win this respect.
Cavaliere lost the public’s respect by doing things such as illegally blocking a street to hold a demonstration (see story here: http://newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/aldermen_target_police_union_head_for_reckless_remarks/id_34035), and sticking up for a dishonest cop (story here: http://newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/rowdy_rookie_fired/). Coppola should be automatically out of the running, based on the story above, since no member of the public can respect someone who has had a close shave with being arrested for larceny.
It would be in the police force’s interest to be represented whom the public respect: it would make it easier for them to do their job, which in turn would make it easier for them to negotiate for the benefits they want. Everyone in New Haven wants a well-functioning police force.
posted by: LD on May 12, 2011 2:24pm
Well you all could be on the NHFD where the current AC is being allowed to change policies on a contract that has yet to expire AND be one of the few he has trumped up charges on (tenured firemen) in order to disqualify them for being the actual chief! At the very least, you officers have the OPTION of choosing who you want for the position verses being bumped because you’re “in” with the who’s who of New Haven! Work it out, currently the folks of the NHFD don’t have that option!
posted by: Janie on May 12, 2011 2:37pm
Hey “glasshouses” Talking about knowing your facts, maybe you should look into this before ridiculing Dave for being angry over it. When it comes to seniority, you are wrong!!! Manny Diaz got his seniority back. That’s why 3 people including Dave were looking into getting their seniority back. However, written into Manny’s paperwork was this clever claus “this shall not be seen as past practice”. Clever on the Unions part wasn’t it?
posted by: Observer on May 12, 2011 4:44pm
I’m not a cop, been a cop, or married to a cop. But this is unbelievable! If I were a NHPD officer, I would be really worried about who might be leading my union. None of these candidates sound like leadership material ... As for Lou Cavaliere, hey he’s retiring so it’s obvious he doesn’t give a ____ about the mess he might be leaving behind. Not on his watch!
posted by: Debra A Lombardi on May 12, 2011 4:55pm
I have known Lou for several years, both professionally and personally. He is always been honest and will state his opinion regardless if it offends those who are dishonest. He deserves to retire with his head held high for all the good he has done. He and some of the other members of the union, both past and present, have gone way beyond the call of duty. To that I say, Salute !!!!!!!
To those members, past and present, who have stabbed the Union in the back….I say…Its too bad to you!!!! GOOD LUCK TO THE NEW ELECTED BOARD….YOU KNOW WHO MY VOTE GOES TO!!!!
