City Asking NYS Human Rights Division NOT To Take Action re: Zikuski? Are you kidding!

[Clyde]

http://www.twcnews.com/nys/binghamton/news/2015/05/11/states-human-rights-board-reviewing-sexual-harassment-claims-against-chief-zikuski.html

 

Is this a joke? The city is trying to interfere with the NYS Human Rights investigation of Zikuski, by asking no action be taken? That is criminal!

 

It's the next step in a case of a female police officer in the city of Binghamton making claims of sexual harassment against the chief, which is why Krtisi Sager says she was suspended. The city has told the state Division of Human Rights the case has no merit, but Sager's attorney has filed a rebuttal. Emily Lorsch has the details.

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- Binghamton Police Officer Kristi Sager was suspended earlier this year on charges of leaving her assigned post on a number of occasions, failing to keep a detailed log while on duty, and leaving the scene of an accident she caused while off-duty -- a crime she was found guilty of.

But, she claims she was suspended because she refused Binghamton Police Chief Joseph Zikuski's alleged sexual advances and he has since been put on administrative leave.

The City of Binghamton responded to her formal complaint saying her claims are without merit. But now, Sager's attorney, Ron Benjamin, has sent a rebuttal to the state's Division of Human Rights.

"We've got a fairly consistent pattern here of predatory behavior while he's in a supervisory position over females employed in the department," Benjamin said.

Benjamin said this rebuttal includes additional details concerning her experiences with Zikuski and evidence that other female officers and employees were also subjects of sexually discriminatory behavior. They claim Zikuski confiscated another female officer's cell phone and personal computer after she was killed in an accident last year because those devices may have contained evidence of his alleged sexual advances on her.

"We're asking to have access to everything they did, everything they took, and the officers who were involved in that," Benjamin said.

In the city's official response to the Human Rights Division, they said there is no probable cause and that these claims are a personal attack on Zikuski to divert attention away from Sager's misconduct. The city also points out that Sager only came forward with these complaints after she was suspended.

"She's a mother with two young children, needs her job totally aside form anything else. So she is what, one of thousands of women throughout the country that suffer in silence because they know they're being discriminated against, but simply need their job," Benjamin said.

While the City of Binghamton is asking the state's Division of Human Rights to not take any action, Benjamin said he hopes to see damages brought against both Zikuski and the city.

Neither Zikuski nor they city's corporation counsel returned a request for comment.

 

 

 

[SNSD]

In the city's official response to the Human Rights Division, they said there is no probable cause and that these claims are a personal attack on Zikuski to divert attention away from Sager's misconduct.

 

Harassment complaints are always fabricated by employees to malign Rich David's department heads according to this administration. That's what Ken Frank wrote and Trish Keppler signed in McCullen's letter of reprimand. I guess the Planning Department as a whole did not see it that way, however, since the entire staff subsequently quit.

 

Ask anyone (non-appointed) in City Hall if the Planners were making things up about Skeadas-Sherry. You can't ask Skeadas-Sherry herself, because she is now off "pursuing other interests."

[JeanieB]

Rich David said the city would work with the Human Rights Division and fully cooperate with the investigation. Now the city is asking no action be taken? How can that be?

[Bingoloid]

[BubbaGump]

"And The Hitts Just Keep On Coming!"

[ginger]

Wouldn't the key word here be "probable"? I thought both of his wives worked under him at one time?

[Justice]

Rumors from inside the Zikuski camp include that Zikuski reached out to former mayor Matt Ryan for help to reign in democratic city council members as well as get support from the working families contingent. Guess the Z thinks Rich can't handle it. Also people close to Zikuski are saying the real culprit in the sexual harassment is an Assistant Chief and it is a case of mistaken identity regarding the bar room incident. I don't know how the Human Rights Division will be able to ignore the complaint with the texts and recorded conversations Officer Sager has. At one time Zikuski put out an order contradicting NYS Law that prohibited an Officer from taping conversations they were involved in with a supervisor, but Officer Sager may have chosen to protect herself in lieu of obeying the order.

And let's not forget retired Sergeant Patrick Harrington now has the documents he has waited 3 years to get. If this all goes away it's time to move out of New York State.

 

It should not come as a surprise to anyone that Mayor David will try anything to make this matter go away. Imagine what an unbiased investigation by the Human Rights Division would reveal. If there is nothing to hide why not welcome the investigation? This is no different then 3 years of stall tactics and appeals that Pat Harrington had to endure all on the taxpayers tab to prevent him from getting documents he was entitled to. Same with that if there was nothing to hide why did they not turn over to begin with?

[Bingoloid]

Also people close to Zikuski are saying the real culprit in the sexual harassment is an Assistant Chief and it is a case of mistaken identity regarding the bar room incident.

 

I'm afraid I'm at a loss to understand how one could be confused about whose wife was showing her boobs to my colleagues.

[Bluestar]

None of this surprises me at all.....It's pretty evident that Z has a boatload of bad stuff of our illustrious Mayor....that or he's just terrified if he doesn't protect Z then Z will pull him down with him. Either way.....we'll pay the legal tab on this and Richie and Z will both ride off into the sunset. Get used to it kids....this is Binghamton...I wouldn't be surprised at all if this whole mess just disappears.

[BinghamtonBill]

According to the latest information obtained by BCVoice, Rich David and Joe Zikuski are close friends and confidants, who frequently text message each other after the midnight hour and even after 1am. These messages are of a PERSONAL nature, according to the "personal" verses "internal" categorization by the BPD.

[Bingoloid]

According to the latest information obtained by BCVoice, Rich David and Joe Zikuski are close friends and confidants, who frequently text message each other after the midnight hour and even after 1am. These messages are of a PERSONAL nature, according to the "personal" verses "internal" categorization by the BPD.