Bovino v. Scott

• Decision Date: 05 June 1968
• Citation: 22 N.Y.2d 214,292 N.Y.S.2d 408,239 N.E.2d 345
• Parties: , 239 N.E.2d 345 In the Matter of Vincent J. BOVINO, Respondent, v. Martin SCOTT, as Fire Commissioner of the Fire Department of the City of New York, Appellant.
• Court: New York Court of Appeals Court of Appeals

Page 408

292 N.Y.S.2d 408

22 N.Y.2d 214, 239 N.E.2d 345

In the Matter of Vincent J. BOVINO, Respondent, v. Martin SCOTT, as Fire Commissioner of the Fire Department of

the City of New York, Appellant.

Court of Appeals of New York.

June 5, 1968.

J. Lee Rankin, Corporation Counsel (Stanley Buchsbaum and Jesse I. Levine, New York City, of counsel), for appellant.

Michael I. Winter, Brooklyn, and Abraham H. Geffner, New York City, for respondent.

BERGAN, Judge.

Both the Appellate Division and this court are vested with power, pursuant to CPLR 7803 (subd. 3), to deal as a matter of law with the measure of discipline imposed on a subordinate civil service employee (Matter of Bell v. Waterfront Comm., 20 N.Y.2d 54, 63, 281 N.Y.S.2d 753, 761, 228 N.E.2d 758, 764; Matter of Donohue v. New York State Police, 19 N.Y.2d 954, 281 N.Y.S.2d 357, 227 N.E.2d 409; Matter of Walker v. Murphy, 15 N.Y.2d 650, 255 N.Y.S.2d 869, 204 N.E.2d 201).

The provisions of the Administrative Code of the City of New York (§ 487a--12.0), stating the measure of discipline in alternative terms of dismissal or suspension for 10 days for each offense in the case of charges heard by the Fire Commissioner, yield to the inconsistent provisions of CPLR 7803 (subd. 3) establishing judicial power to review the 'measure' of 'discipline'. The reduction by the Appellate Division of the punishment to a six months' suspension is, however, too substantial a revision under the facts in this record.

The order should be modified by reducing the measure of discipline imposed by the respondent Fire Commissioner to a suspension of two years, and, as modified, affirmed, without costs.

JASEN, Judge (dissenting).

The Fire Commissioner's finding that petitioner was guilty of the charges herein is supported by substantial evidence. The findings of guilt, sustained by the Appellate Division and all the members of this court, relate to most flagrant wrongdoing. Perhaps the most serious offense was the unauthorized obtaining and selling, over a period of two and a half years, of police and fire badges without may concern for their ultimate use. The dangers to the public inherent in the unauthorized possession and use of police and fire badges are too obvious to require elucidation. Another activity of the petitioner is almost as serious. He was found guilty of being engaged in various extra-departmental employments and businesses without obtaining the necessary approval of the Fire Department, one of which involved the selling of fire extinguishers, an activity expressly prohibited by the department's regulations. One may well imagine the persuasive effect a fireman, as a salesman, might have on a potential buyer of fire extinguishers. Lastly, the petitioner was found guilty of exhibiting pornographic films and snapshots, as well as possession of other objectionable material.

To authorize a major offender, such as the petitioner, who has clearly demonstrated his lack of fitness to hold the position, to remain as a fireman, subject only to a suspension, and to permit him to retire after the expiration of the suspension period would go far towards destroying the Fire Commissioner's ability to maintain appropriate discipline in his department. (People ex rel. Guiney v. Valentine, 274 N.Y. 331, 333--334, 8 N.E.2d 880, 881--882.)

The test on review is whether the discipline imposed is "so disproportionate to the offense, in the light of all the circumstances, as to be shocking to one's sense of fairness." (Matter of McDermott v. Murphy, 15 A.D.2d 479, 222 N.Y.S.2d 111, affd. 12 N.Y.2d 780, 234 N.Y.S.2d 723, 186 N.E.2d 570...