The case of the sham Yonkers SPCA, a group convened only for the thrill of getting a permit to carry a handgun (though they did have some cool badges and arm patches, they had no interest in protecting the rights of animals) brings to mind a similar case back in the late 1980s. That’s when the state banned the SPCC—better known as Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
The SPCCs were outlawed after 17 out of 24 chapters, including some in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties were found to be just fronts for vigilante groups who had found a legal loophole that allowed them to carry guns and sport badges. Those societies were abusing a century old law that gave peace officer status to SPCC members so they could protect the rights of children. The societies became obsolete when governments developed social service agencies to look out for children, but the law allowing the formation of SPCCs remained on the books and an underground network of gun-lovers took full advantage of it, until the law was changed in 1989.
I started to research an editorial on this week’s Yonkers SPCA case, thinking maybe there was a network of rogue, vigilante SPCAs out there, too. But, no. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s press office assured me that Yonkers SPCA was just an isolated case. The state’s other SPCA’s all actually work hard to prevent cruelty to animals.
6 Comments
The Rockland Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children continues to operate – working with police on ensuring alcohol is not sold to minors. The society and cops send in minors to buy alcohol at licensed stores. The society hasnt been linked to vigilante/gun group.
Though I don’t back SPCCs, where is the support for West’s claim that SPCC’s were “vigilante groups”? They were illegally arresting, prosecuting and punishing criminals on their own? Do you have facts to back that up, or are you just trying to cast aspersions on gun owners, as usual?
Rockland County Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Children
61 Washington Ave
Suffern, NY 10901
Phone: (845) 368-0555
President is John Comparetto. Retired NYPD lieutenant, he also was Chief at Passaic County Sheriff’s Dept He now works part-time for Rockland County, N.Y., Sheriff’s Department
The Yonkers SPCA should have investigated some real animal cases, then they would have still been in business. But obviously they are just a bunch of moronic guys wanting only guns and badges. They deserved to be closed down.
From Kenneth Ellman, email:ke@kennethellman.com
Debra West clearly does not know what she is writing about.
The attack on SPCC was an attack upon the interests and needs of the
children of New York to have an effective and independent Child Protective Law Enforcement Agency.
Anyone who carefully reviewed the legislation and the bills introduced to protect the SPCC function on behalf of children would see how such positive proposals were disregarded in a deliberate effort to compromise that protection as a political decision.
All the SPCC that operated were specifically created on notice to the Attorney-General. It was only due to the incompetence and possibly worse, during the tenure of a particular Attorney-General that the misuse of such a valuable governmental function occurred. The failure to protect these services for children lies with the then Attorney-General Abrams and his staff, who was elected after A.G. Louis Lefkowitz retired. Interesting how during over a hundred years of SPCC services there were no such problems until a new administration arrived in the A.G. Office. It is easy to distort what actually occurred since the debate never revolved around the best methods for the protection of children. So now the people of New York have lost an extraordinary statutory design to protect children when the Department of Social Services fails (as they frequently do).
Two Court cases clearly show these important SPCC functions:
Matter of Sharon B, 72 NY2nd 394 and
Matter of Diane P. 110 AD2nd 394
You can find them at:
http://www.kennethellman.com/2012/09/24/matter-of-sharon-b-72-ny2d-394-and-people-ex-rel-161-ny-233-westchester-county-spcc-kenneth-ellman-prosecutor/ AND
http://www.kennethellman.com/1985/10/28/exclusionary-rule-overturned-in-child-abuse-proceedings-kenneth-ellman/
There are many more such cases which will be published soon to discuss and describe what occurred.
Kenneth Ellman
What a information of un-ambiguity and preserveness of valuable know-how on the
topic of unexpected emotions.