Former Suffolk Police Chief James Burke's arrest a small reminder of a big public fall
Former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke was arrested Tuesday on sexual solicitation charges. Credit: John Roca
The arrest of former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke on sexual solicitation charges Tuesday at a Vietnam Veterans memorial park reminds the public once again of how he managed to destroy his law enforcement career and serve time for a felony conviction.
Abuse of power by top cops, former cops, and their bosses can create some of the worst government scandals in a democracy. They are licensed to administer the use of lethal force, enabling them to turn their public oath on its head if they shun the mission and turn bad.
Burke pleaded guilty in February 2016 to federal charges of obstructing justice and violating the civil rights of a Smithtown man he assaulted for allegedly stealing a bag from the chief's car containing his gun, ammunition, sex toys and pornography. Former Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota, who was Burke’s career patron from his teen years on, is serving five years in a federal prison after having helped cover for Burke.
Most obviously, Burke never should have gotten the chief's job, especially given the red flags and flaws in his record as an officer. And Burke's dubious handling of the Gilgo Beach murder cases just recently put his name back in the news with the astonishing arrest of a suspect, Rex Heuermann of Massapequa.
The danger of a huge fiasco lurks for any uniformed-services appointment that springs from power-driven politics and heads south from there. Historically, Burke has plenty of company.
Some may recall the crash-and-burn years earlier of former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik.
Also savvy and charismatic, Kerik established a palpable bond with colleagues in the city Correction Department, and then in the NYPD, as Burke did in Suffolk. By all accounts the former detective was as close to his longtime boss Mayor Rudy Giuliani as Burke was to Spota.
After 9/11 President George W. Bush told those around him he liked the cut of Kerik’s jib and nominated him to be Homeland Security secretary. Allegations soon blossomed about favors for and from a construction firm tied to organized crime.
Six years after his nomination blew up, Kerik was sentenced to 4 years for federal tax fraud, ethics violations, and criminal false statements.
Sometimes this sort of implosion occurs at a faster pace. Less than a month after he was sworn in, Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn resigned as national security adviser.
Flynn, now best known as a subscriber to exotic conspiracy stories, later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his 2016 contacts with Russian officials. Flynn stuck closely by his political patron, President Donald Trump, who later pardoned him.
Sometimes the most courageous can fall. In a 23-year career with the NYPD, the late Mario Biaggi received dozens of citations for valor, including the department’s highest Medal of Honor. He went on to a long career in Congress. But by the 1980s Biaggi was convicted on federal charges of bribery and conspiracy, and served time for accepting illegal gratuities in the notorious Wedtech scandal.
Footnote: Giuliani, who prosecuted that case, was booked Wednesday in Georgia in the 2020 election tampering scandal, also his own doing. Kerik, an unindicted co-conspirator, was reportedly with him.
For his part Burke, now 58, of Smithtown, is accused of a misdemeanor that is rather minor in the public annals. Sadly it just reminds Long Islanders that another local public servant squandered his talents and reputation, for reasons only he can explain.
Self-sabotage goes beyond profession and generation. But it's especially tragic and toxic when it hurts a high civic calling and the public at large.
Columnist Dan Janison's opinions are his own.
Dan Janison is a member of the Newsday editorial board.
