Steve Lieberman

slieberm@lohud.com

Clarkstown officials suspended Police Chief Michael Sullivan on Wednesday, but remained mum on the reasons.

Capt. Robert Mahon will take over the helm of the county's largest police department for now.

Supervisor George Hoehmann and Sullivan have been at odds, especially after Sullivan publicly questioned the decision to hire a firm to study his $50 million police department with an eye toward making financial savings.

Sullivan said the upstate firm hired by the town lacked the experience for the job, leading Hoehmann to say Sullivan's remarks were "defensive" and that they demonstrated why such a review is needed.

Sullivan said Hoehmann and the Town Board excluded him from the vetting process that culminated in the selection of the Bonadio Group for the 90-day study. The Pittsford, New York-based company will be paid up to $98,500.

The department — with 162 officers and 24 civilian employees — makes up a hefty 34 percent of the town's budget. Average pay, which includes salary and overtime, was $166,719 a year for uniformed officers in 2015, according to the Empire Center for New York State Policy.

Sullivan's annual salary in 2015 was $272,037, according to SeeThroughNY.

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Hoehmann's chief of staff, Vincent Balascio, said the Republican-controlled Town Board voted for the chief's suspension, which took effect today. The Town Board unanimously decided to suspend Sullivan.

Balascio said that charges were presented to Sullivan on Wednesday.

Sullivan will continue to be paid at this time, until charges are drawn up and disciplinary proceedings are held.

"We are barred from talking about anything under the law, other than to say he's been suspended," said Balascio, who also is the town's director of finance.

The move comes at a time when law enforcement officials are said be looking at a $96,053 donation to Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino's Reform Party that paid for advertising and other campaign costs for Hoehmann's campaign for supervisor.

The same donor - "Institute for Municipal Safety Research LLC," which is not registered with New York state - provided another $109,000 to the Rockland Republican Committee through the Reform Party. Hoehmann has declined to discuss the name of the donor.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Attorney's Office has also subpoenaed records as part of an investigation into the actions of former Clarkstown Supervisor Alexander Gromack and other officials.

Former Clarkstown Police Chief William Collins said Wednesday night that he was surprised to hear Clarkstown officials suspended Sullivan.

Collins, who joined the force in 1966 and served as chief from 1987 to June 1998, when he retired, called Sullivan a solid administrator whose loyalty is to the department. Collins said he wasn't aware of the details leading to the suspension.

"He's certainly not the kind person who would be insubordinate," Collins said. "He's always respectful. He's a real good cop and one of the best supervisors we had as a line officer."

Sullivan has been chief since 2011. He's been an officer for more than 32 years, after joining the Clarkstown Police Department in 1987 from the New York City Police department.

Collins said clashing with elected officials is sometime inevitable, but traditionally the chief has been allowed to run the department in Clarkstown.

"Sometimes when you are chief you have differences of opinion with elected officials," Collins said. "Being the boss is a tough job. Mike has always been a straight shooter and unafraid to make the decisions."