Hempstead Village board to vote Monday on replacement for retired Assistant Police Chief Patrick Cooke

The Hempstead Village Board plans to vote Monday on a replacement for Assistant Police Chief Patrick Cooke, who retired last week, Mayor Don Ryan said Sunday.

Village officials said last month Cooke would lead the department following the indictments of Chief Paul Johnson and Deputy Chief Richard Holland on corruption charges. 

Johnson and Holland were placed on modified administrative duty with pay, village officials said last month.

Ryan said he was “a bit surprised at how quickly the decision was reached” by Cooke to retire. Asked how it would  affect the beleaguered law enforcement agency, he said: “We're going to continue to move forward, to protect and serve.”

Ryan, who said he did not know Cooke's reasons for retirement, said the chief's last day on the job was Friday.  Cooke did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday.

Ryan declined to comment on Cooke's possible replacement.

Cooke was hired by the village in 1989, according to payroll records. The village board appointed him acting assistant chief in June 2018, Newsday reported at the time. He was paid $241,900 that year, payroll records show.

Johnson pleaded not guilty last month to charges that included felony tampering with public records and grand larceny. Prosecutors alleged he had fixed tickets before his appointment as top cop.

Holland pleaded not guilty in November to a felony bribery charge. He was accused of paying former village trustee Perry Pettus in exchange for his vote supporting his promotion to deputy chief.

Ryan said in a news conference last month that he has "great faith in our police department.”

The meeting Monday will take place at 5 p.m. in Village Hall.