Political e-mails sent using a Cicero Police Department e-policing email list did not involve any police department employee, according to the town police chief Joseph Snell. Snell said he completed his investigation of the e-mails sent in support of Cicero justice candidate Robert J. Bertrand on Thursday, but he declined to discuss the results in detail until he files...
This is the e-mail that was sent out to Cicero residents using an e-mail list collected by the Cicero police department for an e-policing program. Political e-mails sent using a Cicero Police Department e-policing email list did not involve any police department employee, according to the town police chief Joseph Snell.
Snell said he completed his investigation of the e-mails sent in support of Cicero justice candidate Robert J. Bertrand on Thursday, but he declined to discuss the results in detail until he files his report with the town today.
“The police department had no involvement in any way,” the chief said. “And the e-mails in no way came from the police department or its computer systems.”
Bertrand Thursday said a supporter, William Abrams, of Cicero, contacted him offering to help with his campaign with the list of 1,500 e-mail addresses.
“He said he was in the data retrieval business and he had a list of e-mail addresses to send my message out,” Bertrand said Thursday. Bertrand said he quizzed the man, to make sure the man obtained the list legitimately; the man assured him the list was obtained legitimately.
Abrams could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Bertrand said he didn’t know that the e-mail addresses came from the town’s e-policing list until late last week when the police chief called him. “At the time I didn’t know what he was talking about,” Bertrand said.
Snell said about 1,700 households in the community receive e-mails from the Cicero police’s e-policing program. Normally, the e-mails contain updates on criminal activity and gave residents a chance to pass tips back to the police.
Not everyone on the list — including Snell — received the e-mail that endorsed Bertrand and read, “Introducing Our Next Cicero Town Justice,” in the subject line.
The political e-mail also told residents who might vote Tuesday that “We deserve someone in the courtroom who is fair, impartial and is available for all matters required to serve our community continues to grow.”
Bertrand’s opponent, Douglas M. DeMarche Jr., was among those who received the e-mail. Cicero’s Republican, Conservative and state Independence parties have endorsed DeMarche. Bertrand has been endorsed by the Cicero Democrats.
The two men are vying for the seat Cicero Town Justice Carl Putzer has held for 16 years. Putzer has decided not to seek a fifth term.
After speaking with the police chief, Bertrand said he called Abrams, who removed a website with the material and has not sent anymore e-mails. Abrams also planned to talk to Cicero police, Bertrand said.
Wednesday night, a resident complained to the Cicero Town Board that she had received the campaign ad in her inbox dedicated to only e-policing e-mails. The board voted unanimously to have the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office help investigate who obtained the e-policing e-mail list to send the political ad to residents.
The Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office was contacted about the case, according to Barry Weiss, speaking for the DA’s office. He declined to provide any details because “we don’t comment on investigations.”
Catie O’Toole can be reached at cotoole@syracuse.com or 470-2134.