Matter of Gallagher v Jackson
2010 NY Slip Op 08107 [78 AD3d 833]
November 9, 2010
Appellate Division, Second Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
As corrected through Wednesday, January 19, 2011


In the Matter of Martin Gallagher, Petitioner,
v
John E. Jackson, as Acting Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services, et al., Respondents.

[*1] James M. Rose, White Plains, N.Y., for petitioner.

Robert F. Meehan, County Attorney, White Plains, N.Y. (Stacey Dolgin-Kmetz and Justin R. Adin of counsel), for respondents.

Proceeding pursuant to CPLR article 78 to review a determination of the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services, dated June 26, 2009, which adopted the findings and recommendations of a hearing officer dated June 15, 2008, made after a hearing, finding the petitioner guilty of misconduct and/or incompetence, and demoted him from the position of Senior Communications Operator to the position of Communications Operator.

Adjudged that the determination is confirmed, the petition is denied, and the proceeding is dismissed on the merits, with costs.

Contrary to the petitioner's contentions, the determination of the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services, that the petitioner was guilty of specifications four and six, is supported by substantial evidence (see Matter of Huth v Barr, 56 AD3d 556 [2008]). Further, the penalty of demotion was not "so disproportionate to the offense . . . as to be shocking to one's sense of fairness," thus constituting an abuse of discretion as a matter of law (Matter of Kreisler v New York City Tr. Auth., 2 NY3d 775, 776 [2004] [citation omitted]; see Matter of Huth v Barr, 56 AD3d 556 [2008]).

The petitioner's remaining contentions are without merit. Dillon, J.P., Florio, Angiolillo and Dickerson, JJ., concur.