Break In Harrington 209

February 12, 2009

CONTACT 330-9114

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: County Executive Must Explain Security Policy in Wake of After Hours Entry of Minority Office POESTENKILL…Rensselaer County Legislator Kevin Harrington (D) Dist 2, today asked County Executive Kathleen Jimino to explain the policies and guidelines under which her appointed security staff permits after hours entries into a county office absent the consent of those in charge of that office. “It should be unacceptable that a Security Officer would permit an afterhours entry into a county office without the consent of those in charge of that office, absent an emergency situation”, stated Harrington. Yet, without blinking an eye, this county Security Officer opened the door to locked Democratic Offices to permit opposition Republican staffers free access. Harrington asked whether her appointed Security Staff has entered other sensitive county offices without the knowledge or consent of the officials responsible for their contents? Would it be acceptable for these Security Officers to allow a similar afterhours entry into the District Attorney’s Office, for example? Clearly neither the Chairman of the County Legislature or anyone else should be permitted to order Security Officers to open locked doors assigned to elected officials who are responsible for the security of the content of these offices which can include, petty cash, business records, legal records including secret Grand Jury proceedings, case files, computer records and a host of other sensitive items requiring restricted access. Harrington called on the County Executive to fully investigate the trespass which occurred at the Minority Office involving Majority staffers, acting under the orders of Chairman Kelleher and a Security Officer and issue clear guidelines restricting such an occurrence in the future. “We certainly do not want to see a repeat of the type of incident which occurred in the North Greenbush Town Offices a few years back which resulted in a Special Prosecutor charging a former town official causing resignations and ongoing recriminations”. It’s time to apologize for this serious breach of security standards and ensure it never happens again.