Complete Set of Michael Vacarro Stories + Records, Videos, Audios, etc.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY — New Rochelle Detective Michael Vaccaro has been the subject of 17 Internal Affairs Investigations resulting in 9 Letters of Reprimand, the Loss of 15 Leave Days, a 10 Day Suspension, as well as an order to undergo Retraining based on a Civilian Complaint in 2020. He was suspended for 30 days following an incident on February 15, 2021 after Vaccaro, who is White, punched a Black man from Mount Vernon in the face.
The incident six weeks ago was referred to the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office for possible criminal charges against Vaccaro.
UPDATE JUNE 17: White Off-Duty New Rochelle Police Detective Charged for Repeatedly Punching, Kicking Helpless Black Man, Grinding Face into Pavement
UPDATE JULY 2: Following Vaccaro Arraignment, New Rochelle PBA President Lashes Out at District Attorney, Local Media
“As a uniformed officer was taking the Mount Vernon man into custody, the off-duty officer involved himself in the arrest and struck the Mount Vernon man with his fist,” said Strome about the February incident.
Vaccaro has among the worst disciplinary records in the history of the New Rochelle Police Department and the worst for any active duty officer in the New Rochelle Police Department based on NRPD Internal Affairs records seen by Talk of the Sound.
Vaccaro was appointed to the Department on August 1, 2005, and promoted to Detective on December 15, 2017. He is a member of the Special Investigations Unit. In 2020, Vaccaro was paid $153,448 by the City of New Rochelle, including salary and overtime. Vaccaro is the recipient of the Police Commissioner’s Award, eight Class C Citations, two Unit Citations, a Commendation Award, a Lifesaving Award and the Municipal Housing Award. He was named Officer of the Month for December 2018.
In 2020, Vaccaro was docked 2 Leave Days and ordered to undergo “Retraining” for a finding that he “Failed to be courteous and tactful in the performance of duties and failing to demonstrate patience and discretion when dealing with the public.” and “Failing to refrain from using profane and vulgar language or gestures while on duty.”
In 2020, Vaccaro received a Letter of Reprimand for two violations related to “Improperly Using Department Investigative Tools”.
In 2012, Vaccaro received a 10 Day Suspension for a series of violations: “Left Designated Area of Patrol”, “Failed to Cooperate in Departmental Investigation – Made False Statements”, “Failed to Respond Promptly”, and “Unwilling to Perform Task”.
In 2009, Vaccaro was docked 2 Leave Days for violations related to the charge of “Failed to Perform in a Competent Manner”.
In 2008, Vaccaro was docked 4 Leave Days for two violations related to “Deliberately Cutting Seat Belts in Prisoner Bus”.
He was docked 1 Leave Day each for a Motor Vehicle Accident (2011); another Vehicle related incident in 2011; a Motor Vehicle Accident (2012); a Motor Vehicle Accident (2015). He was docked 2 Leave Days each for “Failed to Take Proper Action” (2014); and “Failed to Appear at Traffic Trial” (2014) .
He received a series of Letters of Reprimand over his 16 year career: Late for Special Duty Detail (2006); Failed to Obey Trial Notice (2007); Motor Vehicle Accident (2009); Motor Vehicle Accident (2010); Failed to Obey Traffic Trial Notice (2011); Failed to Adhere to Policy & Procedure (2012); Failed to Report Missing Departmental Equipment (2015).
Altogether Michael Vaccaro has among the highest number of Internal Affairs Investigations (17) in the more than 100 year history of the New Rochelle Police Department. Vaccaro’s 40 Days worth of Suspensions are the second most in department history.
The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office continues to investigate the February 15, 2021 incident.
h/t @donwinslow – for those who just learning of police reform issues in New Rochelle, NY please note the following. Every ON-DUTY New Rochelle Police officer responding to the scene on Feb. 15, 2021 conducted themselves in an appropriate, professional manner (as the video makes clear). They worked to deescalate, they shoved Vaccaro away to protect the suspect, they reported Vaccaro’s misconduct to senior command, and cooperated with IA and DA. The NRPD suspended Vaccaro without pay for the maximum amount of 30 days (he remains suspended with pay), referred Vaccaro to the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and immediately looped in the New Rochelle African-American Advisory Committee and the Black Clergy Rapid Response Team, both created in the wake of not just the murder of George Floyd but the officer-involved shooting of Kamal Flowers a few days later. Like Vaccaro, PO Alec McKenna had a problematic disciplinary record.
For those interested, we recommend two prior articles based on our exhaustive efforts to obtain NRPD police disciplinary records after Governor Andrew Cuomo changed the law and made such records public.
How We Created the Talk of the Sound New Rochelle Police Department Disciplinary Records Database
Alec McKenna: A Story of Traffic Stops
The comments from the racists have gotten predictable and boring so shutting down the comments here.
For those who feel the urge to push their racist agenda feel feee to do so elsewhere.
Good luck with that!
@Just My Opinion, I could not have said it better myself. I am not saying what he did was ok at all but to say that his infractions are “horrific” is a sensationalized editorial tactic at best, just like including the race of both men in the title/contents of the articles written by Mr. Cox -especially when the race of these 2 men was never mentioned in other publications regarding this incident.
Robert Cox you wrote a valid article that listed some of the facts of the events but once you decided to include white and black, you lost me as a reader. Not everything has to do with race and not everything is racially motivated. I certainly understand and can empathize that we are in a very racially charged, sensitive environment currently. The attacks that are happening on a daily basis against minorities are despicable, horrendous and need to stop. While yes, the city of New Rochelle brought the African American Advisory Committee into the incident, I’m asking you directly, what was YOUR motive for including white and black in the titles and contents of your articles? Are you trying to insinuate that this event was racially motivated? That this off-duty officer is racist? And while yes, you may not have come out and said that directly, the implications are cleary there. This off-duty officer has not one complaint based on bias or inappropriate behavior based on the race of another person. If he was not a cop would race have been mentioned? Why is race not mentioned in the your other publications where there is a conflict? What if articles that have been written about you included your race and the race of the people that you have slandered, like the beloved NRHS teacher Nazar Rabadi?
The truth of the matter is the off-duty officer tried to assist in the arrest because the lone officer on the scene was being overpowered, the man (who was not handcuffed or “defenseless” as quoted from you off Talk of the Sound Facebook page), attempted to physically assault his own mother AND put the lives of NR citizens at risk with his erratic driving AND verbally threatening others, threw the 1st punch. It really has nothing to do with a white/ black. Why can’t we just see this for what it was, an out of control individual that needed to be apprehended? I hope when all the facts come out and the dust settles you continue to report with the same passion but with less bias. Then your readers will appreciate your content that much more.
Oh brother…
Are you people EVER going to stop with this “race doesn’t matter” baloney. As I have addressed this repeatedly I am not going to bother other than to say the obvious — that the reason Vaccaro’s suspension was made public (something that has NEVER happened in my 13 years) is entirely because he is White and the civilian is Black.
More strawman arguments here.
“to say that his infractions are “horrific” is a sensationalized editorial tactic.”
Except I did not say his INFRACTIONS were horrific I said his RECORD is horrific which it is, one of the worst in the history of NRPD.
“including the race of both men in the title/contents of the articles…(is a) sensationalized editorial tactic.”
That is YOUR opinion and you are welcome to it. It is worthless.
“the race of these 2 men was never mentioned in other publications regarding this incident.”
That other media outlets act as stenographers is there problem. If you like that sort of copy/past “journalism” you will be happy reading the crap they publish. Enjoy!
“once you decided to include white and black, you lost me as a reader.”
This is a joke, right? I lost you as a reader. You do not even identify who you are so why should I give a rat’s ass about you one way or another. I could care less whether you read Talk of the Sound. If you do not like to feel free to bugger off.
“Not everything has to do with race and not everything is racially motivated.”
And this is your REAL motivation. You are unconscious with the role race plays in our society and do not like to be reminded of it. Feel free to climb back in your hole.
“I certainly understand and can empathize that we are in a very racially charged, sensitive environment currently. The attacks that are happening on a daily basis against minorities are despicable, horrendous and need to stop.”
Apparently you DON’T UNDERSTAND that at all.
“While yes, the city of New Rochelle brought the African American Advisory Committee into the incident”
And the Black Clergy!
“what was YOUR motive for including white and black in the titles and contents of your articles?”
My motive is simple — to highlight the most significant element of the story, to explain why Vaccaro got the maximum suspension, why NRPD took the unprecedented step of announcing a disciplinary action, why the City Manager contacted Black leaders in the community.
“Are you trying to insinuate that this event was racially motivated That this off-duty officer is racist?”
I do not INSINUATE. If you were actually a reader you would know I do not hesitate to be direct.
“And while yes, you may not have come out and said that directly, the implications are cleary there.”
So you ask a question then give your own answer? How convenient.
“This off-duty officer has not one complaint based on bias or inappropriate behavior based on the race of another person.”
And I never said he did.
“If he was not a cop would race have been mentioned?”
This is a stupid question. If Vaccaro was not a cop the NRPD would not have put out a statement or suspended him or referred him to the DA.
“Why is race not mentioned in the your other publications where there is a conflict?”
I mention race all the time in stories so again you are obviously not really a reader of mine.
“What if articles that have been written about you included your race and the race of the people that you have slandered, like the beloved NRHS teacher Nazar Rabadi?”
Wow! So now we see you have some other idiotic agenda.
For readers who do not know, this person is referencing this article:
New Rochelle High School Music Video an Example of Bad Timing in Wake of Librarian Sex Sting
https://talkofthesound.com/2012/06/07/new-rochelle-high-school-music-video-an-example-of-bad-timing-in-wake-of-librarian-sex-sting/
“In light of the past 14 months, however, where New Rochelle Board of Education employees have been arrested for having or attempting to having sex with students, the image of the teacher holding up a note from a student saying “call me” are more than uncomfortable viewing. The images of the teacher sitting at a desk, texting, while the girls dance around him, brings into question the judgement of those involved. There is a time and place for everything and this is so clearly not the time or place for this sort of video that it is difficult to imagine what these people were thinking.”
If you want die on that hill go right ahead, the incident was tone deaf, absurd and unprofessional. But you want to some contrast police brutality with a lip-sync video?
“The truth of the matter is…”
We do not know the truth of what happened so let me stop you right there.
“The man was not “defenseless” as quoted from you off Talk of the Sound Facebook page)
Nope. Never said that. A reader said that. I only published what NRPD, City Manager, DA and PBA lawyer said.
“The man attempted to physically assault his own mother.”
Says who?
And if that were true why did Vaccaro respond by video recording an attempted assault then drive off?
“AND put the lives of NR citizens at risk with his erratic driving AND verbally threatening others, threw the 1st punch.”
I have no knowledge of that and neither do you.
“It really has nothing to do with a white/ black.”
It has EVERYTHING to do with White/Black.
“an out of control individual that needed to be apprehended?”
I have no knowledge of that and neither do you.
“I hope when all the facts come out and the dust settles you continue to report with the same passion but with less bias.”
There is no bias involved here at all.
“Then your readers will appreciate your content that much more.”
I do not care whether you or your friends “appreciate” my content. If you do not like it do not read it.
Vigilance wrote:
We could simplify read the part of this guy’s disciplinary record. He has a long history of Police Misconduct. What Police Commissioner in their right mind would continue to keep a derelict, and menace of a person to serve on a Police Department with the abhorrent behavior that this guy have displayed? I don’t know of any Police Commissioner of competent jurisdiction that allow this to continue to go on in this Department. I’m saying this and will say again that if this guy is not terminated, the citizens of New Rochelle will be paying for this later.
At first glance I must say that this officers disciplinary record was shocking. However, After digesting it and reading the article for a second time, I must admit that I noticed that these infractions are fairly minor.
I didn’t see any use of force kind of stuff or a pattern of abusive behavior. If the worst officer in 100 years has only car accidents and one discourteous complaint, then I think it’s a testament to how great NRPD is.
In a previous article it was also mentioned that this officer has been recognized fourteen separate times for a job well done, including saving a persons life and a nod from the mayor for the apprehension of armed robbery suspects on Main Street.
Anyway, I would like to see more on this specific incident before I nail this officer to the wall. Idk Just my opinion
I expect all reasonable people would agree with wanting to see more on the specific incident that led to Vaccaro’s 30-day suspension.
As for the rest of your statement, you are engaging in a fallacious argument — a version of the argumentum ad logicam fallacy; the fallacy of assuming that something is false simply because a proof or argument that someone has offered for it is invalid. Because what you are claiming is invalid is false it is a version known as “a straw man argument”; the fallacy of refuting a caricatured or extreme version of somebody’s argument, rather than the actual argument they’ve made. Typically, as is the case with your statement, by putting words into somebody’s mouth by saying they’ve made arguments they haven’t actually made.
For starters, I have not proposed to “nail this officer to the wall”. That is beyond extreme.
I have provided the good, the bad and the ugly. As you noted, I am your source for various citations/awards received by Vaccaro.
What I do believe is that given his track record, if the allegations from February are true he should be terminated or “unexpectedly resigned”.
I have not said Vaccaro is “the worst officer in 100 years”.
What I actually said was:
“Vaccaro has among the worst disciplinary records in the history of the New Rochelle Police Department and the worst for any active duty officer in the New Rochelle Police Department based on NRPD Internal Affairs records seen by Talk of the Sound.”
That is my direct quote.
I have obtained IA information on about 550 officers going back as far as possible. The majority of officers have zero IA violation investigations.
If one were going to say anything about the quality of NRPD, it is on THAT basis one might say it is “a testament to how great NRPD is”.
I would not draw such a conclusion without first comparing NRPD with other comparable departments but that is beyond the scope of my research.
From the records I have seen it is simply absurd to say that Vaccaro’s record is testament to the quality of the NRPD. One has nothing to do with other. And as we shall see you grotesquely mischaracterize and dramatically understate Vaccaro’s record.
Based on IA records provided under FOIL, NRPD says 9 officers were terminated or resigned as a result of an IA investigation. There are 7 others that were separated under a major cloud but who have no IA records (I have asked those 7 be double-checked).
The decision to suspend an officer is RARE and only a handful have suspensions of 10 days or more so being suspended at all bumps officers to the high end of the bad list and 10 or more is uniquely bad.
30 Day Suspensions are the current maximum.
Tops (or bottoms) of the suspension list was an officer who had 60 suspension days. Vaccaro was second with 40 suspension days. Both are active duty. So, in fact, Vaccaro does have “among the worst disciplinary records in the history of the New Rochelle Police Department”.
The officer with 60 suspension days had them based on investigation, early in their career, decades ago whereas Vaccaro has TWO recent double-digit suspensions. One of them is from 2021. Vaccaro’s “rap sheet” is very long and all since 2005. So, in fact, Vaccaro does have “the worst for any active duty officer.
What is even more rare than a suspension is an order to undergo RETRAINING. Vaccaro has that too.
You go on to make a series of delusional statements.
“these infractions are fairly minor”
No. They are NOT “fairly minor”. SOME are minor and SOME are major. More to the point very few officers have SEVENTEEN separate IA investigations to their credit with a corresponding high number of Letters of Reprimand, Lost Days, and Suspension Days.
“I didn’t see any use of force kind of stuff or a pattern of abusive behavior.”
Seriously? You are aware Vaccaro was suspended for 30 days for INAPPROPRIATE use of force, namely punching a man in the face, right?
You do see Vaccaro had two violations related to “Improperly Using Department Investigative Tools”.
You do see Vaccaro made false statements in an IA investigation? This was related to being AWOL from his patrol area. It was how he got the 10 Day Suspension. How is that “minor”? It is not.
You see Vaccaro deliberately cut seat belts on a prisoner bus?
It is entirely false to claim Vaccaro “has only” car accidents and one discourteous complaint. He has a long list of violations and they occur continually throughout his career. As for car accidents, he has among the highest number of MVAs in the department (most have none, he has THREE.
This gets to your logical fallacy
“If the worst officer in 100 years has only car accidents and one discourteous complaint, then I think it’s a testament to how great NRPD is.”
I did not say Vaccaro was the “worst officer in 100 years” (he is certainly AMONG them). His long list of violations is not just “car accidents and one discourteous complaint”. One officer’s record (good or bad) is not determinative as to the quality of a police department.
Other than that you make a good point.🙄
Next.
All new Rochelle officers are all pieces of shit never trust them I left new Rochelle and don’t go back cause the officers like to get crazy with there hands swear they the shit but in reality they no better than a criminal cops hide behind the gun and badge and think there someone cause they have the right to carry I can give a whole list of officer’s I had to deal with and my advice always have to camera ready and you do have the right to record don’t let a bunch of faggots with a uniform tell you what to do the best thing you can do is shit the fuck up when your in the precinct and they all play the hero untill your in hand cuffs and put In a cell tbh fight back these mother fuckers can’t fight for shit I fought 2 officers and put them both on stretchers as I put them where they belonged trust me no body cam hit the ducking shit out of them it’s there word against yours at the end of the day they also a new Rochelle officer was in a car accident with a friend and his friend got killed but it’s okay he still has a job and when I asked him about it when I seen him at the precinct he said oh well it’s a new day also have a few videos of there misconduct and I’m saving them for a rainy day and if I showed them bet they’d take my phone and never see it again soo they can protect there brothers on blue we’ll no one cares about one phone I got that shit on more than one stupid phone like I said protect yourself and use what you can too flip the script on these bitches and anyone who thinks police is hero’s are the stupidest people ever your brain washed fucks and if you don’t defend yourself they will take advantage and kill you or just take you and throw away the key and having a judge like Anthony carboner or the other bitch with the lisp your fucked you’ll be in jail fighting for your life and if your poor and can’t afford bail they will do some smart shit and put your bail to $500 to make you feel less them yourself best advice is run and don’t show your face cause these niggas will make you feel like they coming to kill you when they are the real criminals what is justice people other that’s right nothing they changed it to there own rules if you read up on any criminal law and just sit in a court room and observe you’ll be confused as fuck and westChester country has a high conviction rate because they convicted anyone for anything I’m living proof these asshole ruined my life and i haven’t been able to work or have a good life cause police and courts will do anything to be better than you but I heard Anthony carbone has a thing for never mind I’m not gonna say I’ll just watch justice look right past him just keep your kids safe cause I’m just saying sex trafficking has to do with the justice system they deny till they die that’s all I’m saying
Fair enough because I do not have the time to do this back-and-forth with you all day long. You released a name that has not been publicly confirmed. You released records of a police officer who has not been publicly confirmed with involvement. How is that reporting with integrity? I think anyone can clearly see that the lohud article was an unbiased account of what happened where yours was clearly biased from the very beginning. You were the one to bring race into it by stating “white officer, black man” when in reality it was an off-duty officer who witnessed an aggressive altercation between a man and a female, who tried to record a video and call it into the police, who was then aggressivly approached in a threatening manner and chased by this man down the streets of New Rochelle, putting others in danger. I am not excusing or justifying the officer’s past behaviors at all but find it ironic that you are sounding a lot like the person you are writing about: bullying, calling people names, etc. Should we think differently of you based on your past indiscretions like your 2014 arrest for attacking 3 young adults with a baseball bat?
Nice try.
First you complain that I did not report the “full story” — entirely because you imagined I did not have the version given to LoHud by the PBA lawyer. Except that I did have that version.
Now you complain that I identified the officer involved because he was not “publicly confirmed”. Newsflash, Einstein real reporters do not simply serve as stenographers for government agencies. We take what we get AND do our own research.
So which is it, I published TOO LITTLE or TOO MUCH information? smh
Funny how I do not see you saying it is NOT Michael Vaccaro only that NRPD, NR and WCDA did not release his name. Duh! They never do! When you read someone is under investigation by the DA or DOJ you do not typically see a press release announcing who is under investigation from them.
Plus, once again your are conflating things — the original story when the suspension was announced and my subsequent story that the officer was Vaccaro.
Really, you are just all over the place.
I did not “inject” race into the story as I have explained to people like you who are apparently to lazy to read the original statement from NRPD Police Commissioner Joe Schaller.
Schaller brought race into the story by announcing in his press release that the City Manager advised members of the City’s Clergy Rapid Response team and the City’s African American Advisory Committee of the incident.
I spoke with members of both groups who confirmed they were involved by the NRPD and City because the officer was White and the civilian was Black.
Your beef is with Schaller and Strome and you keep whining here to me about me.
The big picture which apparently escapes you is the press release was put out ONLY because of the racial angle.
I did not decide that NRPD would put out a press release, what it would say, what organizations would be involved. I certainly did not INJECT race into a story where none existed.
My question with people like you is why you are just so adamant that race is not relevant when a White police officer assaults a Black civilian which is precisely what happened in this case, precisely why NRPD announced the suspension (which they have NEVER done in my 13 years covering NRPD…NEVER).
What is laughable is the blatant racist attitudes behind the comments from you and your fellow travelers.
Unable to deal with the reality that an NRPD officer was given a very rare 30 day suspension over an incident where a White cop punched a Black civilian in the face, was turned in by his fellow NRPD officers, and referred to the DA for a criminal investigation you throw mud at the wall in some futile effort to make the subject something other than what occurred in February.
Fair enough, but what I don’t see on that lohud article is the reporter going back-and-forth with commenters by berating and insulting those who don’t agree with his sentiments. The hypocrisy is ridiculous. You preach freedom of speech that allows you to write these articles that don’t portray the entire story, release a name that was never officially released but then ban commenting on same articles when the responses don’t go your way or fit your agenda.
Hold on a minute.
“Fair enough”?
In other words, you cannot defend your various false statements about my reporting and when called on to put up or shut up you think you can just skip along to a new set of false statements?
I don’t think so.
First explicitly acknowledge that you were unable to find a single example where LoHud is reporting facts that I did not report — then I will shred your next set of made up nonsense.
I can do this all day long.
BTW, none of which is to the actual point of the article above, that Michael Vaccaro has one of the worst disciplinary records in the history of the NRPD. Why is it people like you never want to address “facts” like Vaccaro’s disciplinary record and for some reason think making stuff up about my reporting is going to make Vaccaro’s record less horrific. He is a disgrace and has nothing to do with who published the details of his record.
Robert Cox, would your narrative change knowing the “victim” resisted arrest and attempted to throw the first punch at the off-duty officer? For those asking about the events that preceded this incident, here is an unbiased article that lists the events and some more, but not all, of the facts from that day: https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/new-rochelle/2021/02/18/new-rochelle-police-officer-suspended-over-altercation-while-off-duty/4492355001/. We have to remember that in this country we have due process for both of the men involved in this incident and it is inappropriate for anyone to speculate when they do not have ALL of the facts.
I do not know what exactly happened the day of the incident nor have I claimed to know. I have published what was stated. By Police Commissioner Joe Schaller, City Manager Charles B. Strome, and the PBA lawyer (Quinn). I do not know any of what was said to be true. What IS true is I published what THEY said and did do accurately and with attribution.
You have linked a lohud article by a young man who while nice enough knows very little about New Rochelle.
Just so you know I reached out to the PBA lawyer and he declined to respond. Therefore, I quoted him based on the statement he issued to LoHud.
Now, do this.
Look at the LoHud article you linked.
Now, tell me what LoHud reported that is different from what I reported?
They have the NRPD statement.
They have the City Manager statement (which I requested and obtained and was then given to Lohud not the other way around as he reported).
They have the statement from the PBA lawyer.
They have responses from the Mayor, the NAACP and the DA.
Now look at my article from February.
I have the exact same information including all of the available information about what is alleged to have transpired before, the City Manager says, the officer struck a civilian in the face with his fist.
So please state here every “fact” that is in the LoHud article that is not in my article.
For my regular readers, you already know that I reported every bit of information I could get and so the answer will be “none”.
Next…
Many logical people would ask the same questions to themselves, especially ones who are looking at a particular situation through a “journalists” platform which only outlines what that particular journalist knows. The rest is fill in the blank with partial information along with assumption. Furthermore the idea of prosecution and termination of this officer seems to be thrown around very easily which is an individuals right to express but I would like to see more information surrounding the incident in its entirety (any source not only TOTS) and not just information from six weeks ago.
You appear to continually conflate what I reported in my articles with comments made by readers. As a result of your carelessness, it is difficult to take anything you say seriously.
You demand “facts” and then mix up facts with reader opinions.
I have not “thrown around” anything about the “idea of prosecution and termination of this officer”. I have regularly noted that the incident described by the NRPD/City are ALLEGED.
The only information from official sources is a statement from the NRPD, a statement by the City Manager and a statement by the DA. I published all of them and my reporting in February is based almost entirely on official, on the record sources.
We would ALL like to see more information from what happened. I doubt any of that will come from official channels because the typical outcome in cases like these is “stipulation/resigned” and no criminal charges.
As it was confirmed, the county DA is investigating due to the referral from NRPD. So that is the “power” that I am speaking of. Regardless of what outcome the investigation yields it was referred to an agency geared to handle situations like this. And the questions I mentioned are not unique, and would be standard in most investigations.
Are you under the impression that I work for a law enforcement agency? Questions that may be appropriate to prosecutors may have nothing to do with reporting on a matter such as the alleged punch in the face.
Therefore, direct the questions you think prosecutors should ask to prosecutors and leave the reporting to journalists.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and in this case, there’s already a fire at a five alarm inferno. I live in Larchmont and have since 1994. I do not want our community policing to look like this, and I do not want our communities to be unwelcoming to people of color. It’s hard enough that so many people are unable to afford living in our communities which is a real barrier to diversity , But a hostile police culture tends to drive out, or is an impediment to people who cost is not a factor. The fact that New Rochelle leadership thought it appropriate to promote an officer with the second worst disciplinary record in it’s history, speaks to a total disregard for it’s citizens, for it’s citizens of color, for fiscal responsibility (since cops like this bring lawsuits), and for basic decency. Sounds like a lot of house cleaning needs to occur in NR.
Stupid/fake questions that I am sure are being reviewed by the powers to be. And with the current environment I don’t see any “watchdog” agency that has Jurisdiction sitting on their hands when it comes to police involved incidents.
What “powers” do you imagine are reviewing YOUR questions?
I am thinking that would be none.
All I can say is that a Police Officer with a huge scandalous disciplinary history as this guy need to be terminated quickly. I’m telling you he is huge liability to the City Of New Rochelle. Get rid of him now or the City Of New Rochelle will be sorry later.
He has been put on a 30 day unpaid suspension and is being investigated by the DA. I can take a pretty good stab at at some basic detective work, that this isn’t happening because he walked some gray haired old ladies across North Avenue during rush hour traffic.
In the history of NRPD you can count on one hand the number of times an officer received a 30 day suspension (one got a 60 day suspension years ago and is somehow still on the job AND was promoted many times).
I will also say, being more familiar with the subject than almost everyone. The VAST majority of NRPD officers have NO disciplinary record at all. That is what makes retaining/ promoting officers like Vaccaro such a shame. His stink is all over the majority of officers who conduct themselves in a courteous and professional manner.
I hate to say it but I tend to agree with you here. There are numerous gaps in actual information that are not clear and/or haven’t been mentioned. There must be additional information surrounding this. What led up to the off duty cop engaging the suspect in the first place? Were there bystanders who witnessed any portion of it since it was in the middle of the day in the downtown area ? There are many questions surrounding this.
I have a sixth sense about this sort of tag team trolling by sock puppet accounts so I am probably going to delete these phony comments and block your IP address but…
The initial statement from the NRPD which we published details what led up to the cop allegedly throwing a punch.
Stop asking stupid/fake questions and read the previous articles.
I am warning you that I am on a hare trigger with dropping the ban hammer on your two sock puppet accounts.
It was reported by three different people he is nothing but a Bully he becomes very aggressive if you don’t give him information he wants on people.
Is it even confirmed this is the cop? You said it may be him? Is it confirmed he punched a man in handcuffs? This story is so vague and holes are being filled off assumption unless you can address facts ?
The NRPD and DA have refused to issue a statement with his name. That is typical when there is an ongoing investigation.
I did not say “it may be him”.
I believe it is Michael Vaccaro and explained why. I am highly confident this is the case to the extent I published his name, photo, and disciplinary record.
Sometimes information is confirmed on background and not for attribution.
The story is not vague at all. My reporting is based almost entirely on official statements and police records. Maybe try reading the articles and then commenting.
I never reported anyone punched anyone “in handcuffs”. I quoted the City Manager who said an off-duty police officer struck a man in the face.
That was my misinterpretation and I am not sure how I arrived at it. I apologize for misrepresenting that aspect. I am, however, assuming that he punched the young man while the uniformed officers were questioning him? I want to be sure I have the facts straight, as best as they are known, while understanding that NRPD is not being forthcoming and this is based on what is being reported from sources in NR city government.
“ I spent several hours with the US Department of Justice detailing corruption in the New Rochelle Police Department. They chose not to pursue that information and instead focused on the New Rochelle Board of Education. The BOE investigation I initiated resulted in 2 felony convictions.
The DOJ handles police corruption cases not the NYS AG.”
@ Robert Cox,
The African American Male need to contact the DOJ or hire an attorney to represent him suing the Police Department, also naming the Police Commissioner, The Mayor, The City Manager, and the City Council for 2nd Degree assault assault, and for violating his civil rights.
The Justice Department have to get involved when it comes to civil rights violations.
Anyway that Police Officer is bad news and need to be terminated. He will not stop as he can not control himself. He is a walking Liability for the City Of New Rochelle.
If this guy is not removed soon there will be more incidents like this. This time there may be serious bodily harm to citizens or even death.
Everyone needs to go.
The City Manager
The Police Commissioner
The Police Detective
The Mayor
No, not including you. My comment was directed at the person(s) who continue to think that a white officer punching a black handcuffed person is not race related, irrespective of the underlying motive. It is.
@Robert Cox,
If what you say is the case, “The Three Amigos”!!! Then the City Of Rochelle have a big problem. You probably have public corruption among these people in leadership roles.
The Justice Department need to come in and investigate? Anyone reached out to the State Attorney General’s Office?
This sounds like a huge serious problem you have in the City Of New Rochelle. Any whistle blowers there that could be located.
Here you have is someone on the low level of the law enforcement chain all of these years, and this guy continues to get away with police misconduct with only slaps on the wrist.
This police officer probably have something on the Police Commissioner, the City Manager, and the Mayor.
All in all, they all need to be gone.
I spent several hours with the US Department of Justice detailing corruption in the New Rochelle Police Department. They chose not to pursue that information and instead focused on the New Rochelle Board of Education. The BOE investigation I initiated resulted in 2 felony convictions.
The DOJ handles police corruption cases not the NYS AG.
Read this then consider he was PROMOTED TO DETECTIVE in 2017.
Promoted? He should have been criminally charged.
The issue this lays bare is the need for the end of the Carroll-Schaller regime.
Also, an obvious question. Is anyone even asking why this guy was promoted to detective in 2017, if his disciplinary record was this bad? It would seem to me that someone needs to be questioning police leadership in New Rochelle why they think that rewarding this type of behavior is acceptable. The second worst record in NRPDs 100 year history? I’ve been at my job for 30 years, and I don’t have a single disciplinary incident. You weed this out, you don’t promote it. And this is why we can’t reform policing in America.
I take it you are not including me as the author because the entire article is asking that question—and I explicitly asked on social media.
Robert, I truly appreciate both your reporting and your perspective on this. To the person/people who do not think this is a race issue, I’ll stop you right there. It is. As a white person living in Westchester, I am 100% positive that my interactions with police have been different than people who don’t look like me. When an officer carries a badge and a gun he/she needs to understand the power that badge has, on and off duty. When a white officer abuses that power against a person of color, irrespective of what the motives were, it’s a racist act. Black people understand the additional racist assumptions often made by people holding badges and guns, that have ended in the deaths of unarmed black men. So stop it with the “I want my community to come together” nonsense. That can only happen when racism is rooted out and exposed, not whitewashed and hidden.
You should look at some of the reax on our Facebook page. A few white people who are obsessed with the idea that racism is fake.
I do not know what Vaccaro was thinking that day he punched a guy in the face.
Here is what do know: in the wake of the death of George Floyd and locally the death of Kamal Flowers, the idea that a White cop punching a Black civilian in the face is NEWS.
These same people who claim to be so concerned with journalistic integrity (🤣) go out of their way to skip past what Vaccaro did in February. Now that I have exposed Vaccaro’s deplorable disciplinary record, they want to skip past that too.
Basically it is the red-herring approach — let’s talk about my editorial decisions so we can ignore the police brutality elephant in the living room.
If you think Vaccaro is bad, ask yourself why Pat Carroll promoted him to Detective and Joe Schaller retained him in a job paying $150k.
Vaccaro is a symptom of the “Serpico/Copland” mentality in NRPD under the doddering old guard. Long past time to clean house starting with Crooked Joe Schaller.
1. Get rid of Schaller
2. Get rid of the New Rochelle Police Foundation
3. Purge the NRPD of the Vaccaros (happily there are not that many but one is too many)
Well, I just stumbled upon you today, Robert. I’m a 25 year Larchmont resident who knows that there is a hell of a lot wrong with policing and racism in Larchmont/Mamaroneck and New Rochelle, and now that I know you’re here, I planned to stay tuned! As we learned from the last four years, journalists shining a bright light on all of the sins that have been swept under the rug, are the way we root out corruption. Keep making lots of noise!
I had to go back and re-read the article:
“ He was suspended for 30 days following an incident on February 15, 2021 after Vaccaro, who is White, punched a Black man from Mount Vernon in the face.
The incident six weeks ago was referred to the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office for possible criminal charges against Vaccaro”
This guy had been disciplined for his egregious conduct. The problem is that the corrective action rendered was in my opinion was only a slap on the wrist.
The problem exist with the Chief of the Police Department, and the District Attorney Office. The Police Chief should have terminated this guy, and he should have been arrested, and criminally charge accordingly. The District Attorney should have convened a Grand Jury to present this case for an indictment.
Bottom line is that this guy should never be serving on a Police Department anywhere in the world or in any law enforcement capacity.
By allowing this guy to remain as a Police Officer, every day is a liability for the City of New Rochelle, and the tax payers will be the one to suffer.
This guy can not control himself, and he is a danger to the community. My question is where is the Mayor in this? Where is the City Manager in this? Where are the Council Members in this? They better get rid of this guy or the City of New Rochelle will pay eventually.
I do not disagree with anything you said.
I am in regular contact with the DA’s office on the alleged assault in February. All they will say is they are investigating.
In the past, if there was a referral to a Grand Jury, I would be told so I do not believe that to be the case here.
That this matter was referred to the DA is highly unusual. That decision was made by the City Manager. The Mayor has no role in this but either he or other Council Members are free to comment publicly on what has been announced by the City Manager. Expect them to hide behind not being able to comment on an active investigation. The DA does not comment on active investigations, elected officials routinely comment on active investigations (see Cuomo, Andrew).
Your best point is that this is about a doddering, out-of-touch leadership, the Carroll-Schaller regime, right out of the movie Serpico. Joe Schaller is a crook who should NEVER have been made Police Commissioner. His numerous lies at the 6/6/20 presser after the Kamal Flowers shooting ALONE is grounds for termination. The problem is the 3 Amigos (Strome, Zimmerman, Schaller) who are friends, who work out together at the NRPD gym, etc. In any other City, Schaller would have been out by end of 2020 but here I guess he will remain until Chuck Strome reaches retirement, same with Zimmerman.
I’m sure there isn’t. They all cover up for each other. The complaints were certified mailed.
I am interested in any material you may have: video, copies of any correspondence, certified mail receipts, etc.
I have filed a Freedom of Information request for all Use of Force reports in possession of NRPD.
It has been 10 months since I made my first of 834 Freedom of Information requests for NRPD disciplinary records and so far I have precisely ONE full set of records (Alec McKenna).
If you can read, it was reported. Multiple people reported the incident and placed complaints. Obviously I didn’t go into the full story. That’s nice he did “something” nice for you – but as you can read he did a lot of BAD ILLEGAL things to many people. He thought he was above the law. And I’m not just coming out now. He was reported years ago and nothing happened. I saw this article and wanted to share my story. So boy bye
I will request all Use of Force reports to see what is on file for this gun incident.
I can tell you there is no disciplinary action in Vaccaro’s file for what you describe.
Listen all that sounds good after the fact….This so called incident with him pulling a gun on someone why bring it out now obviously you didn’t care then because you did not report it.I thank Detective Michael V. And his Special Investigation Unit.They saved my life during an overdose on drugs they saved my life.I am sober today partly because of that.So thank you
If this was a black cop, he would been arrested, suspended without pay, and the list goes on, so why is this “white cop in Newrochell, is still on the force??,
I have video footage. Not of when he pulled the gun but right after. There were 3 complaints filed that day from 3 different people and nothing happened to him. August 2016
Please send along the video.
Email it to robertcox@talkofthesound.com
Yes he is corrupted harasses family’s who family member is accused of a crime him and all his other fellow officers wil do the same lies on police reports they give out fake tickets saying you were speeding when you weren’t even in the state. Will go to where you live and have super and tenants make up false story’s wish more people would come out to tell there story’s but they are afraid.
I don’t know what you’re waiting on because he end up killing somebody you can see the bad cop relies and cheap people like that you got a good off cuz you got to get rid of them he going to hurt somebody he going to hurt somebody
In regards to the gun incident, He should have been arrested, charged, and prosecuted for assault, and misconduct in office.
And why is he still on the job? He should have been terminated years ago. He is an embarrassment to the City of New Rochelle and to the Department.
Why is he still on the force?
He pulled a gun out in broad daylight and pointed it to Someone’s head with no proper reason or without identifying himself or having his badge out. He is also on video threatening to call cps on a mother and actually filed false claims to child services . He is a crooked cop.
If you give me the year of the gun incident you describe I can request the Use of Force report to see what it says or if it exists.