February 04, 2003

Sheriff hunts real badges held by non-cops

By Brendan Scott
Times Herald-Record

Goshen – The small gold star has all the trimmings of a real police shield. It has a badge number, the Orange County seal and the word "Sergeant" in capital letters.

It even has a corresponding photo card identifying "the bearer as an accredited member of the Orange County Sheriff's Department, when, and only when, presented with an official shield of this Department."

In fact, the so-called "courtesy tin" is a real badge, said Undersheriff Kenneth T. Jones. And the previous sheriff, Frank Bigger, issued it to a civilian from New York City.

"The inference that these things were somehow courtesy tins or honorary badges has to cease," said Jones, who is investigating credentials handed out by Bigger's administration. "This makes you a cop."

The sheriff's office has recovered three such badges since Sheriff Carl DuBois took office Jan. 1. Two had the rank of "investigator." Jones said he has leads on a handful of others.

But Bigger, an eight-year incumbent who lost to DuBois in a Republican primary last fall, says the new administration is trying to revive a dead issue.

According to Bigger, the returned shields were issued to three consultants. Two served as the office's armorers.

The third helped the office draft its disaster plan.

"They were working for me, but they weren't on the payroll," said Bigger, who declined to give the recipients' names. "Those are the only ones I know of."

Controversy over the badges erupted in August 2000, when Bigger campaign contributor James Ludlow of New Windsor was charged with using an honorary shield to pose as a cop.

While Bigger says he did not keep a list of recipients, he has repeatedly said that about 20 shields were distributed. Most, he said, were emblazoned with the words "consultant," "honorary," or "retired" across the face - a practice common among law enforcement circles.

"I'm not going to comment any further on it," said Bigger. "This is old hat."

But after seeing the recently returned shields, DuBois disagrees. While the sheriff's office has yet to discover evidence that any of shields had been misused, the badges are so authentic they have been re-issued to bona fide deputies.

"Someone could go into a store and buy a gun with these things," he said. "It's a liability."

Making good on a campaign promise, DuBois said he'll alert state law enforcement agencies on March 1 to confiscate courtesy badges they might encounter and file charges if warranted.

Said Jones: "I don't know how long this would have been a custom. Someone should have cut it off long ago."