East End Notebook: Police Docs Point to Drug-Addicted Cop on the Job

EAST HAMPTON

Village Board Considers Leashed Dog Mandate at Beach Entrances

Dogs will be on a tighter leash — literally — if an East Hampton Village Board proposal passes.

A proposed amendment to the code would add a requirement that dogs be leashed within 500 feet of the road ends, considered the most popular areas of the beach. According to the proposal, the leash mandate allows owners to better control their dogs during encounters with other beach-goers, as well as making them more aware and better able to pick up dog waste. Leashes are defined as not being anymore than six feet long.

At its meeting on Friday, the board is expected to approve moving forward with the proposal and scheduling a public hearing on April 19, at which time interested parties will have an opportunity to lend their support or voice their opposition to the proposal.

WESTHAMPTON-HAMPTON BAYS

Hampton Bays Resident Takes Road Repair Into His Own Hands

Paul Visentin, an 8-year resident of Hampton Bays, said he has had enough and is set to spend a day repairing all the pot holes on a private road, called Atlantic Avenue.

The street, which is just one of 562 private roads in the Town of Southampton and one of 155 in Hampton Bays, has fallen into disrepair with over 15 pot holes, said Visentin.

RIVERHEAD

College Dean Held on $500K Cash Bail After Charges Upgraded

An Aquebogue man will face upgraded charges after an accident that killed two in Nassau County, police said.

Robert Beodeker, 50, surrendered to state police investigators and was arrested and charged Friday with aggravated vehicular homicide, a felony, two counts of vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, a felony, two counts of criminally negligent homicide, a felony, and driving while ability impaired, a misdemeanor, New York State Police said.

NORTH FORK

Ashley Murray: 'I'm Okay'

Four days after her return, missing teen Ashley Murray, 16, who disappeared for 11 days, has a message for the community that rallied to bring her home safely.

On Tuesday, Ashley, reached for a comment through Facebook, said she would like to say one thing to the scores of friends, family and loved ones who came together to support her: "I'm okay," she wrote.

"After my eleven days of being on the run with no constant food or shelter in fear of returning, I'm happy to say that I'm getting the help that I need and am in a very safe environment," Ashley wrote.

SOUTHAMPTON

Former Chief: Police Department Failed Addicted Officer

A police officer whose job it was to conduct drug investigations became addicted to prescription painkillers himself, under the noses of his supervisors, according to internal police documents released to Patch and the former chief of the department.

William Wilson, who retired late last year after a tumultuous 18 months leading the Southampton Town Police Department, said last week he believes the department failed officer Eric Sickles, who was a member of the now-defunct Street Crime Unit, and no one was held accountable. Suffolk County internal affairs officers investigated the matter, and the Suffolk County district attorney’s office initiated a review of more than 100 cases conducted by the Street Crime Unit while Sickles was purportedly addicted.

Sickles’ commanding officer, Lt. James Kiernan was suspended for six months — though Wilson thought he should be fired — and Sickles was suspended indefinitely. Wilson said he also thought that then-Lt. Robert Pearce, who Kiernan looped in about the situation, also should have been disciplined, but the Southampton Town Board would not entertain the notion. Instead, a board majority promoted Pearce to captain against Wilson’s wishes, and Pearce was named the new chief to replace Wilson.