Cop on Medical Leave Caught Moonlighting at Stripclubs
A city sheriff has lost his job after detectives caught him working as a security supervisor at two Queens strip clubs for nine months while he was supposed to be recovering from an on-the-job car accident. Sgt. Jefferson Rodriguez was granted permission to take the time off from October 2008 through June 2009, while collecting his $83,241 salary. According to court papers obtained by the Post, Rodriguez spent the time working as an armed security guard at two strip joints (Perfection and Cityscape) where his private security firm holds contracts. But his lawyer insists he was there for pleasure, not business.
"Sergeant Rodriguez liked to attend adult-entertainment establishments for whatever reason only known to him," the lawyer told the Post, explaining that Rodriguez carried his weapon "24 hours a day, seven days a week." But an anonymous tip about his outside income prompted investigators to put him under surveillance, and after an NYPD detective caught Rodriguez at Cityscape, he allegedly admitted, "I have the security contract. I'm the supervisor; I have my guys. I do security here."
Rodriguez still declares that he was not working while on medical leave, and tells the Post he was actually fired as retaliation for joining a federal employment discrimination lawsuit that the city settled for $500,000 in 2008. "We made hundreds of arrests for this city with not one complaint being lodged against me," Rodriguez says. "My only problem was that I dared to file a lawsuit against the department."
Comments
last commentNo one is looking.....duh.
"explaining that Rodriguez carried his weapon '24 hours a day, seven days a week.'"
Wow...even while he was sleeping?! What dedication...not...
I'll never understand why people that are out of work on disability risk everything for a few extra bucks.
Because, despite warm and fuzzy insurance company ads, many disability policies do not cover all of one's income. 50% and 66% coverage levels are common. And in today's economy, many people are stretched to the limit even with full pay.
That's not to say this case is like that, of course, your question seemed more general than that.
Then, if one is actually healthy enough to go back to work for full pay, then why doesn't one simply do that? I could understand if someone wanted the time off to have an extended vacation & do nothing, but these people keep getting caught working another job! It still doesn't make any sense to me.
Maybe this guy was different. Maybe the police union where he works is strong enough to get full pay disability, and he decided to just get some extra. Without an in-depth interview with this particular guy, I don't know if we can answer that.
I work for a company that works with insurance companies, and we see examples of a fair number of people whose disability is canceled because of this type of thing, and the paperwork that accompanies it. Enough of the justifications on the part of the participant are along the "can't make ends meet" line that I think it's probably a fairly common occurrence.
Fuzzy Wuzzy, cute and cuddly,
barely bare had clothes to wear.
steve: My sentiments exactly.