Chief suspended in Woodbury

HIGHLAND MILLS — Woodbury Police Chief Richard Vasquez is calling his suspension from the police department a result of his refusing to use a local vendor at the insistence of town Supervisor Richard Caruso, according to his campaign's Facebook page and other reports.

Vasquez was suspended from the department for 30 days after a unanimous vote by the Town of Woodbury Board this month, Caruso said.

Caruso couldn't confirm whether the suspension is with pay or without pay. He said the reason for the suspension can't be discussed.

Caruso said Lt. Arthur Abbott is running the department in the place of Vasquez.

Vasquez, who lives in New City, is currently running as the Republican candidate against Rockland County Sheriff Lou Falco while he serves as Woodbury police chief.

A statement posted on the "Vasquez4Sheriff" Facebook page on top of a link to a Journal News article which announced his suspension from the department, read:

"This incident stems from my refusal to use a vendor, who I believe to be corrupt and racist. After learning that this vendor wasn’t properly doing the work he was paid to do, offering me a bribe and referring to me using a racial slur, the Town Supervisor still insisted that I use this vendor."

Attempts to reach Vasquez at his campaign's phone number were not successful.

The Facebook page of his campaign linked to a report in the Rockland County Times that features a press release from Vasquez in which the chief accused Caruso of acting with retribution for the refusal of Vasquez to use the vendor.

Credit card use and car repairs

According to audio of a conversation allegedly between Vasquez and Caruso that is linked to on the article, the two discussed the purchase by Vasquez of a $1,344 desk for the department that Caruso disagreed with.

Caruso also says in the audio that Vasquez shouldn't be using a town charge card unless it is an emergency.

The conversation moves onto Caruso questioning the service of cars in Harriman by Vasquez. Caruso said that having vehicles service in Harriman is "not helping our businesses in Woodbury."

Vasquez says that McKenzie Motors "wasn't doing right" by the cars.

"He's messed up the cars."
Vasquez accuses McKenzie Motors of not taking care of the cars and accuses the shop's owner of trying to bribe him.

"He wasn't fixing them right."
Vasquez said he didn't arrest McKenzie because he is a local business owner, but said he didn't trust him.

A message left at McKenzie Motors in Highland Mills was not returned.

'Use all local vendors'Caruso confirmed on Thursday that he met with Vasquez earlier in the year to discuss the servicing of police cars as well as the purchase of the desk.

Caruso said on Thursday that he spoke to Vasquez about using repair shops in the town, of which McKenzie Motors was one. Caruso said no repair shops are in town are currently doing any repairs on the town's police cars.

"I was asking the chief to use all local vendors," he said.

Caruso said he hasn't heard the tape that has been publicized and said he didn't know their conversation was being recorded.

However, he said "I can only confirm that I know what went on at the meeting."

Caruso said he had an issue with the purchasing of the $1,344 desk on a charge card by the department. He said the purchase should have been made with a voucher.

"Who buys a $1,300 desk?" Caruso said. "Nobody needs a $1,300 desk."

Caruso said the desk purchase was not the reason for the suspension of Vasquez.

Vasquez has been the Town of Woodbury police chief for the past three years, according to the department's home page. He served 20 years with the New York City Police Department and received the NYPD Combat Cross. He also occasionally teaches as an adjunct professor at John Jay College and Rockland Community College.