Rallies set for loss of anti-graffiti liaison

Brentwood and Central Islip residents incensed at the reassignment of a Suffolk police anti-graffiti coordinator have planned protest rallies Thursday at Suffolk police headquarters in Yaphank and at County Executive Steve Levy's office in Hauppauge.

COPE officer Nancy Quattrociocchi was assigned to coordinate anti-graffiti efforts in the Third Precinct last spring after a series of public forums in which community members demanded that officials do more to fight gang violence and graffiti in their neighborhoods.

Noel DiGerolamo, vice president of the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association, the union representing officers, said Quattrociocchi last month was transferred out of the community policing unit and was made a relief driver in patrol because of a comment she made at a Brentwood community meeting in October.

Levy's office did not respond to requests for information and comment Wednesday. Suffolk police declined to comment on the matter.

According to DiGerolamo, a resident at the October meeting asked Quattrociocchi how the community could get patrol car coverage later into the night. The officer advised the resident to take the concern to police headquarters, he said.

DiGerolamo said Quattrociocchi was penalized for not defending Levy's position that police staffing is adequate.

"This goes to show the level to which the department will stoop in order to silence an officer who does not carry out the agenda of the county executive," he said. "Why wouldn't they want an officer to tell the truth, to refer to residents to the proper place for their concerns?"

Islip Town spokeswoman Amy Basta said: "We're very sorry to see Nancy go because she was a great liaison between the town and the police department."

DiGerolamo said the PBA has requested a copy of the officer's transfer order and after reviewing it will decide whether to file a grievance on her behalf.

Protest organizers said Wednesday that Quattrociocchi worked closely with civic leaders, fielding reports of graffiti, photographing gang tags for prosecution, and accompanying civic group members when they removed gang-related graffiti.

"If it says MS-13, I'm not going out by myself," said Jose Rodriguez, 47, a member of the Brentwood Association of Concerned Citizens who went out with Quattrociocchi about three times per week. Rodriguez said he called the precinct Wednesday to request an officer for another graffiti-removal outing and was told that the tags would have to remain until a new officer is trained for the position.

A host of anti-graffiti efforts - including community volunteers and a contractor hired through a grant from Assemb. Phil Ramos (D-Brentwood) - have brought the problem under control, civic groups said. Community members said they worry that without support of a dedicated COPE officer, they could lose ground.

Ramos criticized the police department. "I think that this is another instance of the community being promised a certain amount of police presence and it's not a permanent presence," he said.

Residents will gather at the Brentwood Recreation Center today at 12:15 p.m., then head to Suffolk police headquarters in Yaphank, where they will rally at 1 p.m., followed by a rally at the H. Lee Denison building in Hauppauge at 3 p.m.