Councilwoman’s use of cop in posed photo on campaign website draws fire from rivals, investigation by police chief

A uniformed Riverhead Town police officer’s appearance in two photos on Councilwoman Jodi Giglio’s new campaign website drew fire from her political rivals and consternation from the Riverhead Chief of Police.

State election law prohibits uniformed police officers from endorsing “either verbally or by his or her appearance at a campaign event, while in uniform” or “deliberately or knowingly appear in any political communication.”

Giglio said Tuesday night she had “no idea” of any prohibition and would immediately have the photo taken down from the site, which was launched this week. The images were gone by Wednesday morning.

“It wasn’t planned. I was on the boardwalk taking pictures and I asked him to take a picture with me so he did,” Giglio said. The police officer was not named or quoted on the website.

The appearance by a cop in uniform in a campaign photo may be an infraction of the Riverhead Town Police code of conduct, Chief David Hegermiller said. “We’re investigating it.”

Riverhead Police Benevolent Association president Dixon Palmer did not return a call seeking comment.

In Riverhead, the town supervisor also serves as police commissioner, so the councilwoman’s use of a cop in campaign photos is especially troubling, according to Democratic town council candidate Laura Jens-Smith, who first noticed the online pictures Monday.

“Councilwoman Giglio’s actions demonstrate an incredible lack of judgement,” Jens-Smith said. “To place an officer of the law in an ethical compromise to selfishly boost her campaign is conduct unbecoming a possible police commissioner,” she said.

Democratic supervisor candidate Anthony Coates also criticized Giglio’s action.

“To pull an on-duty, in-uniform officer, that you seek to command, away from their patrol to pose them, on town time, in a gimmicky campaign photo shoot is completely unprofessional,” Coates said.

Incumbent supervisor and police commissioner Sean Walter, who is battling Giglio for the Republican nomination in a primary election Sept. 10, would not comment on the officer’s conduct, which he said was a personnel matter that was under investigation by the department.

“Councilwoman Giglio and her handlers should have realized this,” Walter said.

Walter said Giglio is being endorsed by both the Riverhead PBA and the Suffolk County PBA. However, neither union has made any official endorsement yet.

The Riverhead PBA and the Suffolk County PBA each contributed $1,000 to her campaign last month, according to Giglio’s campaign financial disclosure report filed with the state Board of Elections.

Giglio said Tuesday if she wins the Sept. 10 primary she expects the Riverhead PBA to endorse her in the November election.