Needs Senate Sign-Off
Appoint Corbitt To Head State Police

By REUVEN BLAU

Governor Paterson last week nominated retired Colonel Harry J. Corbitt to serve as State Police Superintendent following the resignation of beleaguered Acting Superintendent Preston Felton, who played a central role in the Troopergate scandal.

GOVERNOR PATERSON: Taps new top cop.

If confirmed by the State Senate, Mr. Corbitt would become New York State's first African-American Police Superintendent.

Rose, Fell With Spitzer

The nomination, which was one of Governor Paterson's first appointments, was announced a week after Mr. Felton stepped down shortly following former Governor Spitzer's resignation.

Last July, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo released a report which named Mr. Felton as playing a role in the Spitzer administration's effort to discredit the Governor's political rival, State Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno.

Among the more troublesome findings by Mr. Cuomo's investigators was that Mr. Felton created from scratch records of Senator Bruno's transport on state aircraft, believing he was responding to a Freedom of Information Law request. Evidence showed that the Governor's staffers sought that information before a FOIL request was actually made by the Albany Times-Union. Mr. Felton's two immediate predecessors as Police Superintendent told Mr. Cuomo's staff that his decision to respond personally to the FOIL request was unprecedented.

HARRY J. CORBITT: Comes out of retirement.

Mr. Felton told the investigators that he felt compelled to comply with the requests partly because he held the job on an acting basis. He also said he was pressured by the state's then-Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security, William F. Howard, a holdover from the Pataki administration who was the Governor's liaison to the State Police.

Mr. Felton explained to the AG's investigators, "The guy is my superior. Can he fire me? No. But can he walk down the hall and tell somebody, 'Preston isn't doing his job'? Yes."

Not All Scandal

The report issued by Mr. Cuomo stated that while Mr. Spitzer's aides acted inappropriately, there was no evidence of criminal conduct.

During a press conference at the Governor's Manhattan offices on March 24, Mr. Corbitt lauded Mr. Felton and said his career should not be overshadowed by the scandal.

"Obviously, in any organization, sometimes there's unfortunate things that may happen that may characterize a person in a snapshot," he told reporters. "And perhaps Preston has been characterized in that snapshot. But he did have an outstanding career."

Colonel Corbitt is a veteran law-enforcement official. He served as a member of the State Police for more than 25 years before his retirement in 2004. He began his career with the force in 1978 and worked as a State Trooper in Troop E until 1984, when he was promoted to Sergeant. In that capacity, he served as a Non-Commissioned Officer in charge of the Basic School at the State Police Academy.

A Steady Ascent

In 1988, he was promoted to Zone Sergeant and was later advanced to Lieutenant, working with the Traffic Services Section at Division Headquarters and the State Police Academy.

Three years later, he was promoted to Captain, then in 1993 was named Major and became the commanding officer of Troop T of the New York State Thruway. In 1994, he was promoted again to Staff Inspector for Employee Relations focusing on the issue of racial profiling. He later rose to the rank of Colonel and served as the Deputy Superintendent in charge of the Internal Affairs Bureau until he retired.

He recently served a term as the Director of School Safety for the City of Albany School District. Before becoming a State Trooper, Mr. Corbitt spent six years in the U.S. Army, where he earned a Bronze Star. As Superintendent, his annual salary would be $136,000.