Signal strength: Strong

Evidence: Two distinct clusters of inmate deaths appear in the data:

1. Elmira transportation death (closed 1/27/2020): Officers Robert Fluman and Scott Sheppard were both found guilty at arbitration (Arbitrator: Trachtenb Erg, Bruce) for negligence on a transportation detail that "RESULT[ED] IN [THE INMATE'S] DEATH." Fluman "neglected to maintain care, custody and control of inmate" and "allowed CO to leave the vehicle leaving him unarmed." Sheppard "left unarmed CO in van with inmate." Despite being found guilty of the top charge and terminated, both were "ALLOWED TO KEEP ACCRUALS" -- meaning they kept accumulated paid leave and benefits.

2. Five Points deceased inmate (closed 5/10/2021): Officers Zachary Nevidomsky and Joseph Kalenda both failed "to conduct proper rounds during shift and failure to detect a deceased inmate." Nevidomsky received 6 months suspension at arbitration. Kalenda simply resigned (effective 9/17/21).

3. Attica (closed 12/10/2019): Officer Thomas Haug "while performing security rounds, failed to detect the death of an inmate." Penalty: 3 months suspension, 1 year deprivation.

Baseline: Officers disciplined for excessive absenteeism routinely receive penalties of $1,000-$2,500 plus loss of swapping privileges. Officers whose negligence contributed to inmate deaths received comparable or lighter consequences.

Potential significance: The pattern suggests that DOCCS treats officer negligence contributing to inmate deaths as roughly equivalent to chronic tardiness. The Elmira case is particularly striking: even after arbitration found both officers guilty of the top charge in a death case, they kept their accrued benefits. These deaths likely have identifiable victims whose families may not know the disciplinary outcomes.

Next steps:

• Identify the deceased inmates in each case through DOCCS records, medical examiner reports, or news coverage
• Request the full arbitration decisions (particularly the Trachtenb Erg ruling in the Elmira case)
• Contact families of deceased inmates
• Compare these penalties to what officers received for lesser infractions
• FOIL the underlying incident reports for each death

Signal strength: Strong

Evidence: At least four officers faced discipline for sex crimes involving minors, and the system repeatedly allowed them to resign rather than face termination proceedings:

• Seth Zawadzki (Plant Superintendent, Wende): "Actions leading to arrest & felony arrest for rape, endangering welfare of child and criminal sex act for having intercourse w/minor, when matter was reported on news & paper." Resigned effective 7/14/20. Case closed 2/26/2020.
• Michael Regan (CO, Wende): "Arrested for sexual exploitation of children, coercion, & enticement." Resigned effective 12/21/20. Case closed 12/30/2020.
• Jonathan Fountain (CO, Great Meadow): "Arrested for felony distribution of child pornography." Resigned effective 12/23/20. Case closed 12/22/2020.
• Michael Rivera (CO, Sullivan): "Arrested for luring 2nd degree, sexual assault 2nd (through social media), lured child under 18 to engaged in sexual conduct, engaged in sexual contact w/child under 18, brought discredit upon DOCCS." Resigned. Case closed 10/3/2019.

One additional officer, James Castonguay (CO, Albion), arrested for "felony criminal sexual act (engaged in inappropriate sexual activities and contact with inmates), official misconduct and rape" was actually terminated under NYS Public Officer's Law -- the only sex-crime case in the dataset that resulted in involuntary termination.

Baseline: Officers found guilty of making racially charged statements (e.g., Dybdahl at Lakeview) were terminated through arbitration. Officers arrested for child sex crimes were allowed to walk away with a resignation.

Potential significance: Resignation in lieu of termination typically allows officers to retain pension benefits and avoid a termination on their record, potentially enabling them to seek employment in other law enforcement agencies. The pattern raises questions about whether DOCCS is prioritizing administrative convenience over public safety.

Next steps:

• Check criminal court records for each officer to determine case outcomes (convictions, plea deals, etc.)
• Determine whether any of these officers retained pension benefits
• Check if any have been hired by other law enforcement agencies post-resignation
• Interview DOCCS officials about the policy of accepting resignations in sex-crime cases
• Request data on how many resignations-in-lieu-of-discipline DOCCS accepts annually

Signal strength: Strong

Evidence: Multiple officers who used excessive force on inmates -- including against restrained inmates -- received penalties far lighter than what the misconduct description would suggest:

• Dustin Hurtgam (CO, Willard): "Struck inmate w/boot & struck inmate w/chair to hand causing injury to both inmates. Threatened to penali[ze]." Penalty: 13 days suspension. (Closed 3/3/2020)
• Chad Labombard (CO, Clinton): "Used unjustified and excessive use of force on an inmate, provided false and/or misleading on official departmental documents." Penalty: $2,400 fine. (Closed 1/16/2020)
• Lakenya Black (CO, Bedford Hills): "Failed to de-escalate incident by not giving inmate verbal commands, used excessive physical force on inmate, struck inmate 10 times while shackled to chair." Found guilty at arbitration. Penalty: 4 months suspension. (Closed 1/28/2020)
• David Terry (CO, Green Haven): "Engaged in unjustified and excessive use of force on an inmate, prepared false or inaccurate use of force report and misbehavior report, made false or inaccurate report during OSI investigation." Penalty: 120 hours [off], 12 month deprivation. (Closed 7/13/2020)
• Kevin Rautenst Rauch (SGT, Mohawk): "Threw an object at an inmate causing eye injury, failed to report incident." Penalty: 30 days suspension, $1,500 fine, 24 month deprivation. (Closed 2/21/2020)

Baseline: Compare to absenteeism cases where officers routinely receive $2,000 fines, 10 days suspension, and loss of swapping privileges -- penalties comparable to those given for striking a shackled inmate.

Potential significance: The data suggests the disciplinary system values officer attendance more severely than it punishes officer violence against inmates. This is a systemic story about the value DOCCS places on inmate safety.

Next steps:

• Build a systematic comparison table of penalties by offense category
• Request the full investigation reports (Unusual Incident Reports, Use of Force reports) for the worst cases
• Contact incarcerated individuals or their advocates/attorneys to determine if any filed civil lawsuits
• Check whether any of the use-of-force officers have prior disciplinary history (some records are redacted)

Signal strength: Moderate

Evidence: Three officers at Coxsackie Correctional Facility -- Steven Carknard, Kevin Donnelly, and John Thorpe -- were all disciplined on the same date (3/2/2020) for the identical misconduct: "Received leave time and payment for such based upon submission of false documented leave absences charged to official union business leave when absences were not authorized and were not for official union business."

All three received essentially identical penalties: $1,500 fine (Carknard got an additional 12M deprivation).

Notably, John Thorpe later appears in a second disciplinary case (10/29/2020) where he "provided false and misleading information (reported positive COVID test which was untrue)" and was found guilty and terminated at arbitration. This suggests a pattern of dishonesty that was initially treated lightly.

Baseline: The coordinated nature of the fraud (three officers, same facility, same date, same scheme) suggests an organized arrangement, yet penalties were modest fines equivalent to a few days' pay.

Potential significance: This looks like a small-scale organized fraud where officers claimed bogus union business leave to receive paid time off. The near-identical language suggests they were all part of the same scheme. The light penalties raise the question of whether this practice was widespread.

Next steps:

• Determine the total dollar value of the fraudulent leave claims
• FOIL DOCCS for other union leave fraud cases across the system
• Contact NYSCOPBA (the union) for comment on whether this scheme was sanctioned
• Determine if Thorpe's later termination was connected to a pattern of dishonesty flagged in the leave fraud case

Signal strength: Moderate

Evidence: Several officers appear multiple times in the dataset, accumulating misconduct charges while remaining on the payroll:

• Jonathan Bush (ASAT-PA/ASAT PRG ASST, Albion): 4 separate disciplinary cases between October 2020 and May 2021 -- insubordination, failure to report arrest, unprofessional communications, and workplace violence. He was allowed to retire effective 6/3/21 rather than face cumulative consequences.

• Kevin Ott (Clinical Physician 2, Elmira): 3 cases -- undermined COVID-19 screening (twice referenced), and negligence in assessing inmates' medical conditions with false statements during investigation. Found guilty on multiple charges at arbitration but received only a 30-day suspension and "final warning." A physician found guilty of neglecting inmate medical care remained employed.

• Paul Ott (CO, Mohawk): 2 cases (9/16/2019 and 3/26/2021) -- both involving hostility/force toward inmates and false statements. After the second case, he was allowed to resign with an effective date of 3/31/2023, essentially being paid for two more years.

• Santiago Cruz (CO, Eastern): 2 cases within 9 days (6/9/2020 and 6/18/2020) -- both involving hostility toward inmates and unprofessional conduct. Each case resulted in 1.5 months suspension and 24 month deprivation, but he was not terminated.

Baseline: Officers with single offenses (like a racially charged statement) were sometimes terminated. Bush accumulated four offenses over seven months and was allowed to retire.

Potential significance: The system appears to lack progressive discipline -- or at minimum, applies it inconsistently. Officers who demonstrate repeated patterns of misconduct are not escalated toward termination.

Next steps:

• Cross-reference the redacted records to see if any of these officers have additional hidden disciplinary history
• Request complete disciplinary files for serial offenders
• Interview DOCCS about their progressive discipline policy
• Determine whether Bush and Paul Ott retained full pension benefits

Signal strength: Moderate

Evidence: At least 9 visible cases involve firearms incidents, forming a distinct pattern:

• AR-15 discharges: Officer Rodney Lassiter (Sing Sing) negligently discharged a service AR-15 while unloading. Officer Paula Sterling (Sing Sing) discharged an AR-15 into the ceiling of a wall tower post. Penalties: 60 days/$1,000 and $750 fine respectively.
• Lost personal weapons: Travis Davidson (Attica) lost a personal Glock that was found on a roadway by a civilian (10D SP, $1,000). Maurice Brown (Sing Sing) fell asleep in a McDonald's with his off-duty firearm exposed ($1,400 fine).
• Threatening with firearms: Jose Maldonado (Sing Sing) displayed a personal Glock to another driver in a threatening manner and was arrested for criminal possession of a weapon (20D SP). Mitchell Zajac (Attica) discharged a handgun causing serious injury to a victim (10D suspension).
• Dean Bauer (Attica): Weapon discharged striking ballistic window glass (2 days, $380).

Baseline: These are corrections officers -- armed agents of the state. Multiple negligent discharges of AR-15s and handguns resulting in penalties lighter than chronic lateness raises serious public safety questions.

Potential significance: The pattern of firearms negligence, combined with minimal penalties, suggests either inadequate training or a culture where weapon safety is not taken seriously. The fact that two separate Sing Sing AR-15 discharges appear in this timeframe is particularly notable.

Next steps:

• FOIL DOCCS for all weapons discharge incidents over a longer time period
• Determine whether any of these incidents injured anyone (the Zajac case explicitly mentions "causing serious injury to the victim")
• Request DOCCS weapons training records and policies
• Check whether any of these officers retained armed posts after their incidents

Signal strength: Preliminary

Evidence: Multiple officers provided false information during COVID-19 screening processes at facilities:

• Kevin Ott (Clinical Physician, Elmira): "Undermined NYS DOCCS COVID-19 staff screening process, false and/or misleading information" -- this is particularly alarming because as a physician, he was responsible for the screening process itself.
• John Thorpe (CO, Coxsackie): "Provided false and misleading information (reported positive COVID test which was untrue)" -- terminated at arbitration.
• Mira McCray (SGT, Green Haven): "Failed to disclose out of state travel, failed to disclose COVID test and awaiting results, provided false/misleading information."
• Debra Bryant (Nurse 2, Edgecombe): "Refused direct orders to conduct COVID-19 rapid test on inmates, undermined health and safety."
• Cheryl Bennin (Sr. Librarian, Fishkill): "Falsely stated she received a positive COVID test result."

Additional cases reference failure to wear face masks, false COVID screening answers, etc.

Potential significance: These cases occurred during 2020-2021 when COVID was devastating prison populations. Officers and staff who undermined screening protocols may have contributed to outbreaks in closed facilities where incarcerated people had no ability to protect themselves. This intersects with the broader story of COVID in prisons.

Next steps:

• Cross-reference timing of these cases with known COVID outbreaks at each facility
• Request DOCCS data on COVID cases/deaths among incarcerated people at these facilities
• Determine whether Dr. Ott continued practicing at Elmira after his suspension

Signal strength: Moderate

Evidence: At least 12 officers in the visible records resigned or retired rather than face the full disciplinary process. The pattern is consistent: officers facing the most serious charges (sex crimes, excessive force, criminal arrests) resign with an effective date, and the case closes with disposition "R" (resigned).

Key examples:

• Officers arrested for child sex crimes (see Lead 2) -- all resigned
• Michael Bodden (Green Haven) -- excessive use of force on inmate, false statements about force -- resigned effective 4/30/21
• Darquis Wright (Sing Sing) -- falsified medical records, charged with 9 counts of fraud by DA -- resigned effective 1/18/21
• Jonathan Bush -- 4 misconduct cases -- retired effective 6/3/21
• Multiple DWI arrests -- officers retired effective immediately

Potential significance: Resignation appears to be a standard off-ramp that allows officers to avoid termination records, potentially preserve pension eligibility, and avoid the public accountability of an arbitration decision. This may be a deliberate feature of the labor agreement rather than a coincidence.

Next steps:

• Obtain the NYSCOPBA collective bargaining agreement to understand resignation provisions
• Determine pension implications of resignation vs. termination
• Check whether resigned officers appear in other law enforcement databases
• Compare resignation rates between DOCCS and other NY state agencies

Additional Observations

• Heavy redaction: A substantial percentage of records are fully or partially redacted, making systematic analysis impossible. The redaction pattern appears to cover names and descriptions roughly equally, suggesting it's not targeted at specific offense types. The extent of redaction itself raises transparency concerns.
• Misconduct codes: The dataset uses abbreviated codes (FD = false documents, IA = inappropriate action/force, IN = insubordination, SP = security procedures, SL = sleeping, AT = attendance, ODO = off-duty offense, RC = racial conduct, SH = sexual harassment, WPV = workplace violence, etc.). Many cases have multiple codes, suggesting compound misconduct.
• Union representation: Most officers are NYSCOPBA (NY State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association). Some staff (nurses, teachers, office workers) are represented by PEF, CSEA, ISU, or other unions. Different unions may negotiate different disciplinary outcomes.
• Arbitrators: A few arbitrator names appear repeatedly (Trachtenb Erg, Bruce; Taylor, Timothy; Rinaldo, Thomas; McCarthy, William). Their decision patterns could be analyzed for consistency.
• "Deprivation" penalties: Many penalties include "12M DEP" or "24M DEP" (deprivation periods), which appear to restrict bidding rights, transfers, or promotions for a set period. This is a punishment that's invisible to the public but significant to the officer's career progression.
• NOD Withdrawn cases: Some visible records show "NOD WITHDRAWN" -- meaning the department dropped the charges entirely. These cases warrant examination of why.

Unexplored Territory

• The redacted records: Hundreds of records are partially or fully blacked out. These likely contain additional serious cases. A legal challenge to the redactions could be productive.
• Longitudinal officer histories: This dataset only captures a ~2 year window. Officers may have extensive prior disciplinary histories that would put these cases in context.
• Comparison to other states: How do DOCCS disciplinary outcomes compare to corrections systems in other large states?
• Civil litigation: Many of these incidents (especially use-of-force cases) may have spawned federal civil rights lawsuits. Cross-referencing with PACER could reveal additional details.
• The parole side: The dataset includes some parole officers, but their cases were sparse in the visible records. A dedicated FOIL for parole officer discipline might be productive.
• Financial analysis: Penalties include fines, lost pay, and suspension days. Calculating the total monetary impact versus the severity of misconduct could strengthen the "light penalties" story.
• Body camera compliance: Multiple cases reference failure to activate body cameras during use-of-force incidents. A FOIL specifically targeting BWC policy violations could reveal a pattern of officers avoiding documentation of force.