(Greece, N.Y.) - Two probes of the Greece Police Department are now in progress--one is internal -- involving a new public safety officer.
The other case is the criminal case involving alleged public corruption.
We've learned it begins at the top. Police Chief Merritt Rahn, Deputy Chief Mackin and Sgt. Brian Ball have all been suspended for shredding documents two days before the new public safety officer was to start the internal investigation.
Investigators say Chief Rahn and two top men made contact via text message the night before they met at police headquarters on Island Drive for the alleged shredding.
Sources say the messages centered on locating specific documents--the very documents they are now accused of shredding.
Four bags of shredded scraps are now being pasted together at the state police forensic lab. it's a difficult task made a little easier because investigators know some of the documents they're looking for.
That's because one of the three accused men texted a fourth officer, a Lieutenant, asking whether certain files had been left on his desk.
This fourth officer was not involved in the alleged wrong-doing. In fact, when he found out about the shredding, he turned the text messages over to state police.
The probe will also take a closer look at a nine-year old case involving the service revolver assigned to the chief.
*The gun turned up at a raid of a crack house in 2000.
*The chief later said it had been stolen, but he did not report the theft.
*If improper steps were taken to replace the weapon.
What Rahn knew about the hit and run case of Nick Joseph is also an issue.
During Joseph’s trial, it was learned Greece Police never impounded or photographed the cars and a K-9 search was never done.
The actions of Sgt. Thomas Schammerhorn, who was in charge of the investigation, are under scrutiny. Was it shoddy police work or a cover-up?
A series of complaints filed by mostly female residents after traffic stops is also under scrutiny.
The sixth person under investigation is Gary Pignato. He is charged with coercing two women into sex; he’d had contact with both of them while on duty.
Two other potential victims have stepped forward.
Video tapes of Police Chief Merritt Rahn taken by 13WHAM News subpoenaed last month have not yet been shown to the grand jury.
One question is whether any of the accused has misused their authority and if so, whether it was at a criminal level.
