The Village of North Syracuse, New York, has agreed to pay former police officer Michael Stassi $260,000 to settle his whistleblower retaliation lawsuit. Stassi had to blow the whistle in 2005 on time card cheating by his superiors. Syracuse.com reports that former Sgt. Daniel Keefe plead guilty to having subordinates sign statements that Sgt. Keefe was working during times he was not working. Former Capt. Michael Casey also plead guilty to official misconduct. Former police chief David Wilkinson plead guilty to submitting false time sheets to North Syracuse, and a former employer. The court ordered him to pay $3,760 in restitution. The news report does not detail what retaliation Stassi suffered, but thanks to the movie Serpico, one can easily imagine the hardships on a police officer who breaks the "code of silence." Stassi filed his retaliation case in 2008. It was delayed after Wilkinson filed for bankruptcy protection. Now it is settled for a lot more than the fraudulent time sheets cost. It is another example of how cover-ups can cost more than the initial crimes. Retaliation claims can cost an employer a lot more than just addressing the issue a whistleblower raises.
