Suffolk Chief of Detectives William Madigan to retire next month

Suffolk County Chief of Detectives William Madigan announced Wednesday he will retire Dec. 9, the latest commander on a growing list of department brass to leave amid a federal probe into police conduct.

Madigan's exit comes in the wake of Monday's announcement that Suffolk Police Commissioner Edward Webber will retire in January -- to be replaced, if approved by lawmakers, by County Executive Steve Bellone's top law enforcement aide, Deputy County Executive Tim Sini, a former federal prosecutor.

The detective division chief's departure also follows the abrupt resignation in October of former Chief of Department James Burke, 51, considered a target of the federal investigation.

Madigan, 55, a Burke protege, said in a statement: "After 35 years in law enforcement, this is the right time for me to explore some of the opportunities I have repeatedly passed up in the private sector and move on to other challenges."

He said recent changes at the top contributed to his decision: "As new leadership comes into the police department, this is an appropriate time for me to leave and give those leaders the flexibility to select their own personnel."

Bellone issued a statement through a spokesman thanking Madigan "for devoting his career to law enforcement and making Suffolk County safer."

Madigan, a 27-year department veteran who earned a base salary of $189,185, took over as chief of detectives in January 2013 after a ceremony presided over by Burke and Webber. He leaves five years before being eligible to receive a maximum pension.

Before his appointment as chief, Madigan had been part of a team of officers assigned to Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota's office.

He had previously worked for three years at the FBI in Manhattan and five years as a special agent with the United States Secret Service.

As chief of detectives, Madigan was responsible for overseeing high profile cases such as the hunt for the suspected Gilgo Beach serial killers and the shooting of developer and political powerhouse Gary Melius.

Rumors of Madigan's departure had been circulating since Burke left. Until earlier this month, Madigan talked daily with top officials in the district attorney's office about investigations and intelligence the department was gathering. But since Burke resigned, sources say, Madigan became unreachable and the flow of information from the detective division ceased without explanation.

Newsday has reported that a federal grand jury is probing whether any law enforcement official was observed striking a suspect, Christopher Loeb, and whether there was a subsequent cover-up of a possible assault. Loeb, an admitted heroin addict, pleaded guilty to the 2012 theft of a duffel bag from a department SUV parked in front of Burke's St. James home. Loeb has said he was beaten by Suffolk police officers after the bag was recovered at his Smithtown home and then by Burke himself at the Fourth Precinct.

Loeb has filed a federal lawsuit against the county, Burke and other police officers alleging they violated his civil rights.

Burke's attorney Joseph Conway has said his client has committed no wrongdoing.

Two criminal intelligence officers involved in the Loeb arrest have also left. Det. Kenneth Bombace retired on Sept. 26 and Det. Anthony Leto retired on Nov. 20.

A new grand jury in Central Islip has revived a federal probe from several months ago that had been dormant since the beginning of 2014. Both investigations were triggered by the theft of Burke's duffel bag and sources have said federal investigators may have acquired new evidence that might include wiretapped information of law enforcement officials involved changing their accounts of what occurred.

Several sources said a number of the officers involved have changed their accounts and are cooperating with authorities.

When asked if Madigan's departure is related to the federal probe, county spokesman Justin Meyers said, "We do not comment on ongoing investigations."

-- With Robert E. Kessler

and Andrew Smith