For Immediate Release: March 30, 2019
Legislators Testa, Burrows and Cunzio Statement on PBA Complaints.
“We have been informed, through a letter from PBA President Mike Hagan, that at the New Rochelle School Culture and Climate Committee meeting on March 27, 2019 Legislator Damon Maher publicly attacked the integrity of Westchester County Police Sgt. Amery Bernhardt. We are shocked to learn of the anti-law enforcement sentiments expressed and the hostility directed at Sgt. Bernhardt by our fellow Legislator.
“We are also dismayed that Legislator Maher, who is currently a member of the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee, would make unfounded and outrageous accusations of racial profiling and abuse of authority directed at our own County Police Personnel.
“This type of blatant bias and contempt for Law Enforcement has no place on the Board of Legislators and Legislator Maher has demonstrated that he certainly has no place providing oversight of our County Police on the Public Safety Committee.
“Three members of the GOP Caucus of the Board of Legislators; Minority Leader John G. Testa, Minority Whip Gordon Burrows and Public Safety Committee Chairwoman, Margaret Cunzio respectfully request that Chairman Ben Boykin replace Legislator Maher on the Public Safety Committee with a Legislator who has an unbiased and reality based view of the critical and dangerous work that our law enforcement personnel do every day on the streets and in our schools throughout Westchester County.
“We also hope that if Legislator Maher intends to continue serving as Westchester County Legislator he will publicly apologize to Sgt. Amery Bernhardt and the rest of our law enforcement personnel for his false accusations and hostility shown at a public meeting.”
