Michael Valva trial: Convicted officers should lose pensions

Drop pensions for convicted officers

I have been reading the accounts of Michael Valva’s trial with horror [“Witness: Boy told of abuse,” News, Oct. 13]. No child should ever have to go through what Thomas Valva experienced. But now Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney has an opportunity to send a message.

I believe the system failed this child because his father was an NYPD officer. Because of this, it seems everyone involved was walking on eggshells.

If convicted, Michael Valva should go into the general population of a prison and be given no preferential treatment. But more important, he should lose his pension.

If police officers who are convicted of a crime and do prison time were to lose their pensions, perhaps others would think twice before committing a crime.

Personally, if Valva is convicted, I don’t think prison time would be a good enough punishment.

 — Valerie Romeo, Bayport

I hope the prosecuting attorney who asked the plumber who witnessed child abuse why he didn’t report it asks the Child Protective Services personnel and other departments why they also did not take strong action [“Witness tells of Valva attack,” News, Oct.  7]. Saying you had a big caseload is no excuse to not escalate the issue.

After the two trials, there likely will be one launched by Suffolk County to learn who failed to protect this child. And county taxpayers will be on the hook for this travesty.

I hope the county goes through this meticulously and fires the individuals who failed. The system that allowed this chronic abuse should be investigated so it never happens again.

 — Anthony Tanzi, Mastic Beach

At the heart of this trial are the horrors that Thomas Valva and his brother Anthony are said to have faced. Especially horrendous are the missed opportunities to save these boys from their living hell. Abuse was in plain sight.

 — Wendy Frischer, Rockville Centre