Marching Through Snow, Controversy

By Tom Deignan

AS far as Roger Slattery, Brian Sharkey and many other New York City Corrections Department (NYCD) Emerald Society members are concerned, they just want to get marching. In the St. Pat’s Day parade up Fifth Avenue, that is. Rain or shine. Or snow, for that matter.

“We’ll be out there no matter what,” Sharkey, a retired Captain and past Society President told the Irish Voice on Tuesday. “It’s a good day to forget about the stress of the job.”

It’s been a long week for the NYCD Emeralds. The Voice revealed last week that Mayor Bloomberg would not be marching in the parade with NYCD members. The daily papers in New York then picked up the story, which is part of an ongoing war between NYCD Commissioner Martin P. Horn and the 500-person member Emerald Society.

Many NYCD workers feel Horn and Chief Robert Davoren have unfairly demoted senior Irish American employees, such as Roger Slattery, whose father was born in Tipperary and whose mother was born in Clare.

As a result, Emerald Society president Ed Duffy has said Commissioner Horn would not be welcome marching with the NYCD and Slattery – who will lead his co-workers up Fifth Avenue as Parade Marshall.

“In light of the circumstances surrounding Warden Slattery’s demotion, I am sure you can understand why we find ourselves unable to extend our usual invitation to join us as we seek to make this event positive and memorable to our honoree as well as to all participants,” Duffy wrote in a letter sent to Davoren, Bloomberg and parade honcho John Dunleavy.

Sharkey and others hope this past week’s media attention sheds light on the case of Slattery, one of several Irish Americans at the root of the tensions between NYCD brass and Emerald Society members.

Slattery was “demoted 4 grades from Warden to Assistant Deputy Warden (a $50,000 pay cut) by Commissioner Martin F. Horn and rubber stamped by Chief of Department Robert N. Davoren,” according to a letter circulated by Sharkey.

Sharkey says other Irish American officers have also been demoted, despite good work records, while other employees whose records may not be as strong have been promoted.

Slattery is among those who has filed a legal challenge, and Sharkey is among those confident he will win.

The case even has racial overtones, with some arguing that NYCD brass is disproportionately demoting white employees, though they add their beef is with brass, whom they accuse of playing racial politics, even as Corrections officers of all races continue to work effectively together.

Slattery has chosen not to comment to the Voice because of the pending litigation.

Mayor Bloomberg did not comment to the Voice last week, but when the daily papers picked up the story he was forced to issue a comment.

“If the commissioner’s not marching, I will not be marching (with NYCD),” Bloomberg told reporters on Sunday.

In previous years, Bloomberg has marched with police, fire, sanitation and corrections department workers.

Sharkey says some in the NYCD resent the mayor’s decision, and are likely to let it be known at the ballot box. 

Last week, NYCD Deputy Commissioner Thomas Antenen told the Irish Voice: “March 17 will be a normal working day for (Commissioner Horn).”

Antenen also says that any demotions that have taken place were well within Commissioner Horn’s “discretion.”

Asked to comment about NYCD discrimination against Irish Americans, Antenen pointed out that Emerald Society president Duffy was recently promoted.

But Sharkey and other Emerald Society members are not buying Horn’s response.

“A careful examination of facts will reveal a that a concerted effort was made to demote a highly respected member of the Department,” writes Sharkey.

Sidney Schwartzbaum, President of the Assistant Deputy Wardens/Deputy Wardens Association, has told the Voice: “Roger Slattery was one of the most respected, knowledgeable and competent wardens the agency has had. He came up through the ranks with intensive experience in all the big jails. He paid his dues…in the trenches, unlike many political sycophants elevated based on political affiliation.”

Either way, for one day at least – March 17 – Slattery and his co-workers could worry simply about marching, concerned mainly about whether or not the rain and snow would hold off.

Contact Sidewalks at tdeignan@irishvoice.com