Suffolk County Paid 7 Misconduct-Admitting Cops $7 Million to Delay Pension-Eligible Exits
Updated
Updated · Newsday · Jun 22
Suffolk County Paid 7 Misconduct-Admitting Cops $7 Million to Delay Pension-Eligible Exits
1 articles · Updated · Newsday · Jun 22
Summary
$7 million in salary and overtime went to seven Suffolk County police officers after the department determined they should be terminated, with settlements letting them stay until 20 years of service and full pension eligibility.
Those deals were struck because an independent arbitrator—not the police commissioner—has final say on discipline, and the police union holds enough leverage that the county often opts for guaranteed delayed departures over uncertain termination fights.
Nearly $800,000 of the post-settlement pay came from overtime, and some officers remained on active duty for years; one termination was scheduled 14 years ahead, while Officer Christopher Weiner's September deal keeps him on the force about another year.
Specific cases included Kevin Wustenhoff, who left in January after a 2022 settlement delayed his firing nearly four years, and Ronald Reiter, whose forced-exit clause was later removed and who was still paid $263,078 in 2025.
Experts told Newsday they had not seen this pension-delay practice elsewhere and warned it weakens accountability, while the union argued the agreements are pragmatic because arbitration can block firings altogether.
What is the hidden taxpayer cost of lifetime pensions for officers who negotiated their retirement?
Is paying millions to remove bad cops a pragmatic deal or a costly failure of public trust?
Suffolk County’s Failing Sewers: $30 Billion Plan to Rescue Long Island’s Water and Public Health
Overview
Suffolk County faces a major environmental crisis because its sewer infrastructure is old and failing. Over 70% of homes still use outdated cesspools and septic systems, which cannot properly treat wastewater. As a result, untreated sewage pollutes groundwater, bays, and the ocean, causing severe nitrogen pollution. This excess nitrogen acts as a fertilizer in water, leading to harmful algal blooms. These blooms use up oxygen, creating marine 'dead zones' where fish and other aquatic life cannot survive. The situation has sparked public outrage and urgent calls for action to modernize the county’s wastewater systems.