Suffolk County police, Regents tests

Cops show two systems of justice in Suffolk

The recent case of Suffolk County Police Officer David Mascarella demonstrates once again that our community has two systems of justice — one for police officers and another for everyone else [“Cop in crash that hurt boy, 2, keeps his job,” News, Dec. 22].

After driving drunk and injuring a 2-year-old, Mascarella’s first instinct wasn’t to call for medical help — it was to protect himself by calling his union representative. Then Officer Kevin Wustenhoff allegedly provided a fraudulent breathalyzer test to cover up his colleague’s crime.

This seems to be a conspiracy to obstruct justice, committed by the very people sworn to uphold it.

The punishment? A mere 18 months of unpaid leave. If any civilian had driven drunk, injured a child, fled the scene and conspired to cover it up, that driver would face serious jail time. Why are police officers above the law they’re supposed to enforce?

These aren’t “bad apples” — this system prioritizes protecting its own over serving justice. Every time officers like Mascarella and Wustenhoff abuse power and face minimal consequences, they prove that their true loyalty is to themselves, not to public safety or justice.

The question for our community leaders is simple: When will police officers be held to the same standards as the rest of us?

— Frank Matthews, Manorville

This was a clear-cut event in which the SCPD could have earned the respect of the community it supposedly serves. All those involved should have been disciplined and David Mascarella fired. Instead, the SCPD allowed arbiter Martin Scheinman to rule that an 18-month suspension was punishment enough. The SCPD should have fought this ruling. It failed the community by not doing so.

How do the individuals involved in this sleep at night knowing that they helped keep a man out of jail and allowed him to go back to work in a different precinct? And retire with a pension.

My heart goes out to Riordan Cavooris’ family, and I do not blame them for moving out of the area. Let’s hear Scheinman and Mascarella explain how this makes any sense. It’s never too late to right a wrong.

— Tom Melia, Oak Beach

I was amazed to see that Martin Scheinman is still an arbiter for police matters. I cannot understand how he has been a chosen arbiter for decades. Has he ever said no to the police? For years, our politicians have insisted they would not accept a police contract, saving face, and knowing full well that the contract would be favorable to the police unions when sent to arbitration. The arbiter was always Scheinman. Not many people even know who Scheinman is although he has had a major impact on our pocketbooks.

— Richard Areskog, East Meadow

While there has been no justice for the victim in the courts or through the police administrative structure, in the court of public opinion this little boy can be recognized as the victim of powerful people who put their own well-being ahead of justice or decency. Shame on those involved in this cover-up.

I hope the victim’s family finds peace in knowing that their story saw light after all the efforts made to deny them what is supposed to be equality under the law.

— Cynthia Lovecchio, Remsenburg

David Muscarella and Kevin Wustenhoff eventually will receive taxpayer-funded pensions. Everyone should always record inappropriate police actions. Informed taxpayers apparently are the only ones to possibly effect positive change.

— Thomas Bennett, Ronkonkoma

Better Regents scores don’t mean too much

Here we go again. Administrators patting themselves on the back for a job well done “LI performance on Regents English exam improves,” News, Dec. 29]. Not so fast.

Who do you believe opts out of standardized tests? The overachievers, the kids whose motivation comes from within, the students who enjoy learning results, so they can do even better the next time? Nope. To me, it’s the students and parents who would rather not deal with bad news who opt out.

These tests don’t show much of anything that the test takers and their parents don’t already know.

So, administrators, don’t be so fast to congratulate yourselves, and parents, don’t fool yourselves into thinking your district is getting better — because the truth is that the brightest don’t usually opt out of test taking.

— Nancy Pomeranz Romano, Massapequa