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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. March 12,. 2008: The Grand Jury  investigating the Court Street killing of Mount Vernon Police Officer (posthumously Detective) Christopher Ridley have found the officers who who him without blame in the matter.

The jury heard testimony of the four police officers who fired the shots that killed Mount Vernon police officer Christopher Ridley  on Court Street when the Mount Vernon officer was attempting to arrest a homeless person who had attached another.

Papers containing testimony of the officers made to the grand jury, apparently pre-leaked to the press by persons in possession of the papers were reported as saying the officer or officers  testified that Officer Ridley did not identify himself as a police officer.

However, it was reported at the time of the shooting  by the head of the Mount Vernon Police Benevolent Association, Kevin Mandel  that Ridley had identified himself to personnel in the County Office Building before going to help. Whether or not this was considered by the Grand Jury was not stated in the news release from the county today announcing the findings.

The Grand Jury announced today that the officers acted on the information they had at the time, that apparently did not  alert the officers that Ridley was police personnel. County Executive Andrew Spano and Westchester County Commissioner of Public Safety, Thomas Belfiore issued the following statements on the Grand Jury findings:

Papers containing testimony of the officers made to the grand jury, apparently pre-leaked to the press by persons in possession of the papers were reported as saying the officer or officers  testified that Officer Ridley did not identify himself as a police officer. (However, it was reported at the time of the shooting  by the head of the Mount Vernon Police Benevolent Association that Ridley had identified himself to personnel in the County Office Building before going to help. If this is true, it was apparently not communicated to the county police officers who responded and subsequently ended up shooting Detective Ridley to death when he did not respond to orders to drop his weapon.)

Whether or not this was considered by the Grand Jury was not stated in the news release from the county today announcing the findings.

The Grand Jury announced today the officers acted on the information they had at the time, that apparently did not  make  the officers aware that Ridley was police personnel. County Executive Andrew Spano and Westchester County Commissioner of Public Safety, Thomas Belfiore issued the following statements on the Grand Jury findings:

       “This has been a terrible tragedy for everyone involved: Officer Ridley, his family, the Mount Vernon Police community and the officers who were the subject of today’s Grand Jury decision,’’ said County Executive Andy Spano. “The Grand Jury has found that the officers acted in a manner that was proper based on what was known at the time. That said, the best way to honor the memory of this brave, young man is to make sure that we take a hard look at training and procedure to make sure this never, ever happens again. We have already put together an internal working group of respected experts to examine procedures within the Westchester County Police training as well as what is taught to recruits at our police academy.’’

Commissioner Belfiore commented: “Today the grand jury issued its findings. We respect the grand jury’s hard work and those findings. As I have said previously, the death of Detective Ridley was a horrible tragedy for the Ridley family, the Mount Vernon Police Department, the Mount Vernon community and all in the law enforcement community. Our officers here at the Department of Public Safety continue to live with the pain of what occurred. It is everyone’s desire that we do all that we can to make sure this does not happen again. One of the ways we have to work toward that end is training. Consequently, we have already commenced a training review work group that includes representatives of academia, law enforcement, police fraternal organizations and the Mount Vernon community. This group will review the Use of Force training and tactics taught at the Westchester Police Academy. Their thoughtful recommendations, which we expect within 60 days, will help us ensure a similar tragedy does not happen again,” said Public Safety Commissioner Thomas Belfiore.

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. Special to WPCNR from the County Board of Legislators. (Edited) March 11, 2008:   As reported earlier this evening to WPCNR by County Board of Legislators Chairman William Ryan of White Plains, the Board of Legislators followed Mr. Ryan’s lead and balked at the County Executive Andrew Spano’s proposal to purchase a building in Ardsley for a new Board of Elections headquarters. The site is owned by a high profile Spano political contributor and the deal has been temporarily stymied by the legislators due to the legality issue of moving the Board of Elections without consent of  Westchester County voters.

Board of Legislators back Bill Ryan and Demands Further Examination of the Spano-Contributor  Board of Elections Building  Deal. Photo of Mr. Ryan, WPCNR File Photo

Pending clarification of Section 216 of the New York State County Law concerning location of county offices, the Board of Legislators  tonight recommitted (sent back to committee) the proposal to purchase 450 Saw Mill River Road in Ardsley as headquarters for the Board of Elections.

The matter will undergo further scrutiny by the legislature’s committees on Budget & Appropriations and Government Operations. At issue is whether a referendum is required to relocate the Board of Elections outside the county seat of White Plains.

“I think it’s very important that the administration of the Board of Elections as well as the services heavily used by the public remain accessible in the county seat,” said County Board Chair Bill Ryan (D-IN-WF, White Plains).

Majority Leader Martin Rogowsky (D-IN-WF, Harrison) added, “We are continuing our due diligence on the proposed location of the Board of Elections and we need to fully understand the impact of Section 216 on whatever decision we make.”

The Board of Elections is under mandate to consolidate all of its electoral functions at the county level, including ownership, care, custody and control of voting machines, as part of the federal Help America to Vote Act (HAVA). The New York State Election Consolidation and Improvement Act is designed to bring the state into compliance with HAVA.

The 450 Saw Mill River Road plan calls for the purchase of an 85,000-square-foot building on 5.37 acres of land in the Town of Greenburgh from Ardsley Partners. The building would undergo renovations to accommodate the Board of Elections, hundreds of voting machines and related equipment and materials. There would also be a $1 million county commitment to Ardsley for projects in the village to offset the municipality’s loss of property tax revenue as part of the purchase.

In other Action Tonight —