NEW ROCHELLE, NY — When the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges against Detective Michael Vaccaro on June 16, Senior Criminal Investigator Mark Hackett, who is Black, cited the investigative work of Internal Affairs Supervisor Lieutenant Neil Reynolds, also Black.
Reynolds is credited with obtaining the damning cell phone video which depicts Vaccaro punching and kicking Malik Fogg, grabbing Fogg’s head and shoving it into the pavement, all while shouting profane language at Fogg.
Neil Reynolds is expected to soon be promoted to become the first Black Police Captain in the the New Rochelle Police Department in many years. Before Reynolds, there was Alex Toone and Delores Johnson. According to New York State Pension records, Johnson joined the NRPD in 1965 and retired in 1988. No pension information on Toone but online he is listed as Deputy Police Commissioner in 1971.
Greco, along with NRPD officers and employees loyal to him, are determined to block Reynolds from promotion to Captain.
The Greco Faction, including but not always Greco himself, contend that the New Rochelle Police Department in promoting Reynolds is succumbing to outside political pressure generated by the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the officer-involved shooting death of Kamal Flowers by PO Alec McKenna, both in 2020.
To deflect criticism, they claim, the department is creating an unneeded fourth Police Captain position solely to promote Reynolds to Captain.
The New Rochelle Police Department, they point out, has historically had three Captains positions: Patrol Services, Staff Services, and Criminal Investigations. A new Captain position was created specifically for Reynolds, while two other Lieutenants were passed over to select Reynolds for promotion.
The Greco Faction claims this same practice occurred in 2014 when the department, under Patrick Carroll, created a Lieutenants position specifically to promote Reynolds.
They claim Reynold’s promotion is happening after the retirement of Joseph Schaller because Schaller refused to promote Reynolds because Schaller did not believe he deserved the promotion. Part of pushing Schaller to retire, their theory goes, was to install a more cooperative Deputy Commissioner Robert Gazzola as Police Commissioner who as part of a “Grand Bargain” will promote Reynolds.
The Greco Faction is claiming that Reynolds is not fit for promotion given his disciplinary record.
Talk of the Sound rated Reynold’s Disciplinary Record a C on an A-F scale, although his last Command Discipline was 7 years ago.
- 1995-04-15 Violation Rules & Regulations 8.2, Vehicle Violation — M.V.A.
- 2002-08-12 Violation Rules & Regulations 1.31, Memo Book Violation — Failed to Keep and Maintain a Memo Book
- 2010-01-16 Violation Rules & Regulations 1.29 Memo Book Violation — Failed to Keep and Maintain a Memo
- 2011-02-15 Violation Rules & Regulations 5.4 Duty Violation — Late for Duty
- 2014 Violation Rules & Regulations Conduct Violation — Conduct Detrimental to Good Order F/M locker
Reynolds has received three Letters of Reprimand and two Loss of 1 Leave days in his career.
The Greco Faction has placed great emphasis on the 2014 charge of Conduct Detrimental to Good Order. An embellished (untrue) version of the story, which we will not repeat here, has been making the rounds at the station house.
The actual story, from multiple sources, is that in 2014 Reynolds, a Sergeant at the time, was assigned to Third Shift (the overnight shift from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.) working desk duties. He was also working as a lawyer during the day. He would take his meal period at the end of his shift and sleep. He would sleep on a couch in the female locker room. As a result, Reynolds was the subject of an Internal Affairs complaint made by a female Officer.
Reynolds is an attorney registered in New York State, admitted in 2004 after graduating from Pace University School of Law.
The subsequent Internal Affairs investigation determined that it was Reynold’s common practice to enter and remain in the female locker room and sleep there. In doing so, it was alleged, he created a hostile work environment for female Officers who would avoid entering the female locker room when Reynolds was on duty. Reynolds is thus cited as an example of NRPD’s failure to address gender inequality issues within the department.
Christopher Greco has his detractors.
Talk of the Sound rated Greco’s Disciplinary Record a B on an A-F scale. His last Command Discipline was a year ago.
- 2020-04-06 2020 Violation Rules & Regulations 5.4 Duty Violation — Late for Special Duty Detail
- 2001-09-10 2001 Violation Rules & Regulations 9.5 Property Violation — Lost Departmental Property — Portable Radio
Greco has received one Letter of Reprimand and one Loss of 1 Leave day.
Reynolds Supporters, including but not always Reynolds himself, contend members of the Greco Faction are currently angry with Reynolds because as Supervisor of the Internal Affairs Department, Reynolds oversaw the investigation which led to criminal charges being filed against Detective Michael Vaccaro for an incident last February.
Reynolds Supporters suggest it goes deeper than any one incident, pointing to the racist trope implicit in criticism of Reynolds and Senior Command— he was promoted because he is African-American — and the “white supremacist” tone of Greco’s public statements in defending Detective Michael Vaccaro for punching and kicking Malik Fogg, a Black suspect, and PO Alec McKenna for shooting and killing Kamal Flowers, a Black suspect and loudly rejecting efforts by African-Americans in New Rochelle to bring about police reform.
In public statements defending Vaccaro, Greco released information about the mental health history of Malik Fogg, which may be a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
Reynolds Supporters point to the hypocrisy of Greco pushing for more pay for police officers and increases in the police budget while he runs a lucrative side business helping clients grieve, and thus reduce, their property taxes in New Rochelle, leaving less money available to pay all City employees including police officers and leaving less money available to fund the City budget not just the police department budget.
Questions have been raised about Christopher’s by Chef Joe, a Larchmont restaurant operated by Joe Giordano, Greco’s neighbor in the tony Davenport Neck neighborhood of New Rochelle.
According to Giordano, he named the restaurant “Christopher’s by Chef Joe” after the son of Christopher and Tracy Greco, who has autism. In an interview published in Westchester magazine, Giordano says Tracy Greco has an ownership interest in the restaurant. By implication, Christopher Greco and his wife own a business with a New York State Liquor License. Applicants for a liquor license in New York State cannot be a police officer with arresting powers.
Some have raised questions about the use of New Rochelle PBA resources to promote the Greco’s restaurant, such as public relations services and overlaps with Christopher’s Voice, a non-profit set up by the Christopher Greco and his wife.
In public statements defending Vaccaro, Greco published a screenshot from witness cell phone video obtained as part of an NRPD Internal Affairs investigation and a criminal investigation by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. Some have questioned whether Greco openly leaked non-public information from two ongoing criminal investigations: Michael Vaccaro and Malik Fogg.
Greco was re-elected as President of the New Rochelle PBA in large part due to his successful negotiation of the 2019 extension of the PBA contract, which some claim involved an intimate relationship with a person involved in the municipal approval of the Memorandum of Agreement on September 17, 2019.
Greco has been the subject of complaints and litigation over his role as a board member of the Sans Souci Neighborhood Association: illegal fireworks displays; prohibited consumption of alcohol at the neighborhood beach and pool; excessive noise complaints; insufficient liability insurance; financial malfeasance; causing neighbors to feel threatened by presenting himself at the homes of residents on neighborhood association business while conspicuously displaying his sidearm.
Regardless of how this civil war plays out, Robert Gazzola is now promoted Police Commissioner and Lieutenant Neil Reynolds is widely expected to be promoted Captain. How Greco intends to respond after that remains an open question.
EDITOR’S NOTE: We requested of City and Police Officials to speak with Neil Reynolds but our request was ignored. Robert Cox graduated from Iona Prep with Neil Reynolds in the same 1981 class, although they were not close then nor now. Chris Greco refuses to take questions from Talk of the Sound.
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Sounds like these boys are making a mess of the department and are still not being held accountable for violations. Skip them and promote a woman who actually deserves it and can help clean up the department and stop wasting everyone’s time!
Seems new rochelle is filled with nothing but rotten eggs. Davenport neck isn’t a Tony area. It’s served by trinity school which has been rated by great schools as a 5 out of 10. Most of davenport Ave is a dump now and To live there requires an iq below 70
What is this the west side story; NRPD edition. Except instead of two street gangs it’s two unprofessional and undeserving officers vying for power. Nauseating and a tale as old as time.
And from the sounds of the comments above, you may want to look into NRPDs treatment of the female officers which sounds like the real issue here.
Bobby-
The point of my comment is that in your report, you include a great deal of superfluous information that is not germane to your report, but that casts a dim light towards all the parties involved. I’m really glad that you hold the majority of NRPD officers in high regard as per their professionalism and lack of internal rule violations.
I made no reference to McKenna or Vaccaro in my comment, however, you did in response. My comment was very specific. You felt it necessary to include that you and Reynold had been classmates at Iona Prep in 1981, more superfluous information ( this is why I commented that I am also an I.P. Graduate).
I’m no journalism major, but I know that there is a difference between an editor and a reporter. You appear to be both, which is fine of course, this is your forum. Unless of course, you do not hold serve in both capacities.
No one cares
I should also mention that Reynolds also violated over 15 violations against its police officers during Interviews while he was in IAB. THE CITY BACKED THE PBA and Reynolds instead of getting thrown out gets promoted again. He fucks up 1st tour, he gets promoted, he fucks up IAB & gets promoted again. Wtf
Greco represents the Pba (cops / detectives). The one Reynolds is under is the SOA. Greco does a great job for his union
Welcome to New Rochelle DPW no different promoting men that don’t deserve it over other qualified men and that woman probably the same woman is part of the problem
Whose your source? Walt Disney ? Because this article was definitely written in fantasy land. Are you a blogger or creative writer?
Reynolds also recommended skipping 2 white cops to make a less qualified black cop a Sargent. Imagine if that was reversed?
He’s actually pretty good & reports what he can back without exposing his source. Although some things could be left out
Reynolds also recommended or should I say pushed to promote a black cop to Sgt by SKIPPING the top 2 cops who happened to be white. And they want to promote this guy. Unreal
Wow. Who is your source Walt Disney? This must take place in fantasy land. Are you a journalist or creative writer?
Reynolds is and will be the new cancer to the nrpd. There are 15 documented “exit interviews” (meaning POLICE OFFICERS WHO TRANSFERED) claiming the reason they Are leaving the nrpd is because of him. They have 2 new soft shell commissioners who are puppets with no real balls. That’s why big Joe left. He’s not gonna promote that asshole under his watch. Was it mentioned that Neil Reynolds is the vise president of thr NAACP?? this guy thinks the police department is all racist, meanwhile he gets a new promotion through every little crack. Their gonna let this guy who attended the flowers funeral, VP of a hate organization & a bully in the work force become a captain?? Unfuckin believable.
I find it hard to believe that a person wouldn’t allow another person to eat a snack or drink water in uniform. Your point might be easier to swallow if it was not so drastic and told the whole story. You criticize Cox for the way he wrote his story and that makes you no better by being one sided in your comments. This sounds personal RJ.
A majority of this thread is controlled by a woman who’s job is on the line and pushing gender inequality where it does not exist.
Hi
“How Greco intends to respond after that remains an open question.”
In his role as president of PBA, shouldn’t Greco be supportive of Reynolds promotion?
As a female LE Captain in NYS, I think NRPD would be serving their citizens well by not promoting either of these individuals. A leader in a transparent agency should have no blemishes on their record for you to report. A leader should not be bias in their duties, nor should they be entangled in the egregious course of misconduct that you report here. How Reynolds was placed in IA is unimaginable. He is responsible for investigating his own, but who is investigating him? There are “allegations”, probably worse, documented reports of sexual harassment in the workplace. These allegations have been made against Reynolds, and someone in New Rochelle thinks it’s a good idea to promote this man, giving him more power to harass more women. In LE we face a great deal of scrutiny and disrespect on the streets, it’s expected and we handle it professionally. The women of NRPD should not be subjected to Reynolds unwanted sexual harassment and worse, discipline when they do not accept it. This is nothing short of a hostile work environment. In an agency filled with highly motivated and well respected officers, there must be a better candidate to fill this position, a position that has yet to be created. This brings us to another question, why create another Captain position? The agency has operated for years with three Captains. Most agencies and communities are better served when we have more boots on the ground. Use the funds to create another patrol officer position, an officer who will be out in the community protecting and serving the citizens of New Rochelle.
So the NRPD will promote you to the position of Captain provided you belittle and ignore an entire gender? Congratulations New Rochelle for selecting Captain Couch as a figurehead!
I have worked with both of the officers mentioned in this article and have found both to be consummate professionals, memo book violations and tardy off duty jobs not withstanding. I wonder why such minute details of an individuals work history are even worthy of mention with regard to the matter at hand except to generate and inflame an anti police attitude. I have no dog in this fight, not a NEW RO resident or employee, not even close. IONA PREP graduate, ‘84, go gaels….
Richie — it is not about inflaming anything. The repeal of 50a has provided access to information unavailable to the public in the past. You can expect it be included in stories like this going forward. That should not be a surprise. We are in a new world.
Our analysis shows the VAST majority of police officers both in the history of the department and among Active Duty officers, have either no disciplinary records of a single minor violations (A’s and B’s). Just a handful have “failing” or “near failing” grades. I have made this point repeatedly that historically New Rochelle police officers go their entire career with zero or a minor violation. It is definitely not the case of “everyone does it”.
As I have also said, the VAST majority of New Rochelle police officers have exemplary disciplinary records and, in my experience are professional and courteous in dealing with the public.
It is what makes officers like McKenna (158 violations over a single 60-day period) and Vaccaro (17 IA investigations) stand out.
It is why I have repeatedly pointed out the Fogg-Vaccaro cell phone video shows not just inappropriate conduct by Vaccaro but, I believe, 6 on-duty officers responding in a professional, appropriate manner.
Here is a link that may interest you.
https://talkofthesound.com/2021/04/08/how-we-created-the-talk-of-the-sound-new-rochelle-police-department-disciplinary-records-database/
But you covertly supported Reynolds by choosing NOT to report on claims against him but you had no issue reporting on claims against Greco. Be consistent, report on BOTH “claims” or neither “claim” unless you have evidence from one of your “numerous sources” that a claim has substantial basis. And if you do, report your supporting evidence of the claim. Anybody could claim anything Robert, the importance of a reporter is supposedly their responsibility to be fair and accurate so that the readers could decide their truth.
I reported on all of the IA investigations of Reynolds, the resulting Command Disciplines, and a detailed account of the fifth incident regarding the female locker room. I have a long-standing FOIL request for the full file which has been illegally withheld from me, a fact which I have published on numerous times.
Again, you are just supporting the point of the article: there are Reynolds and Greco factions within the department.
For those looking from the outside in, the issue is not binary where Greco = Good, Reynolds = Bad or Reynolds = Good, Greco = Bad. The issue is as you exemplify, members of service are taking sides.
Ask the female officers who are still employed by the NRPD AND THE ONES WHO HAVE SINCE TRANSFERRED. Neil Reynolds regularly engaged in harassing behavior such as following female officers around on the midnight tour, including following them to the bathroom at the Mobil gas station while working. When he first became supervisor, he wouldn’t allow female officers to eat a snack (oatmeal), drink a coffee or drink a bottle of water in uniform! He had to be spoken to by other supervisors due to his belittling conduct towards these officers. This guy IS and HAS BEEN a cancer to the police department for years but they continue to drag him to the top NOT based on merit or promotional exam score (yes they consistently skip qualified candidates with higher scores in order to promote Reynolds with a lesser score), but because they think having a black Captain and soon to be black commissioner (making him the next commisioner IS the plan) will solve all their community relation and public image issues. The city of New Rochelle wants to appear to be WOKE! They are not woke and they have been exposed through the sources in this article. And last, Bob Cox, you won’t repeat what you call a “embellished and untrue” version of the story of Reynolds in the female locker room but you report on “claims of an intimate relationship” between two individuals? Where is the consistency? Both are claims but you have chose to only report on one which you allege involves Greco? The usual biased reporting. We know you don’t like Greco and as usual, it shows. Who concluded that the story of Reynolds is “embellished”? And who concluded that the “intimate relationship claims” were valid enough to be reported here?
As you and others have made clear in your comments there are allegations all around.
That is the entire point of the article — not that any particular allegation is more legitimate than any other or any side is right or wrong but rather that the state of play within the department is two warring factions within the department. You are making that very point by supporting Greco and opposing Reynolds. I suppose others will support Reynolds and oppose Greco.
As far as my opinion of Greco, it is simple. He does not tell the truth. In the case of Vaccaro, Greco has repeatedly lied and I have said so. The solution is also simple, Greco can tell the truth.
I understand that he has caused great angst among the female officers. Given his suspect behavior and double-dipping with his law practice he should never ascend to the level of captain. It is time for NRPD to modernize and join the 21st century.
First of all was anything done about Reynolds sleeping in the women’s locker room (repeatedly!)? Let’s not gloss over that.
What a despicable display of intimidation and entitlement. Those are not the actions of a someone appropriate for leadership. Period. In a time when the police department needs honest, honorable leadership most.
It’s disheartening to know that these police women, whom are often overlooked in leadership positions themselves, are working hard to keep our communities safe while being subjected to such a psychologically unsafe work environment. Despicable
This guy crosses boundaries and makes the female employees very uncomfortable. Men like this should not be given more power!!!!