Cop suspended for baseball scuffle
Troy disciplines officer after Little League incident
“the mountain of evidence of Dominick Comitale’s poor judgment and lack of impulse control greatly concerns me.” — Darren Ayotte, vice president of Twin Town Little League
Embattled Troy Police Officer Dominick Comitale has been suspended as a result of a September incident, when Comitale allegedly elbowed a man in the face at a Little League game while off-duty, according to Troy Police spokesman Daniel Dewolf.
It remains unclear if the suspension is paid or unpaid, and Dewolf said he couldn’t comment further because the issue is a personnel matter. Comitale had previously been on disability with a shoulder injury.
Comitale was charged with second-degree harassment after the confrontation with Darren Ayotte, vice president of the Twin Town Little League in North Greenbush. Ayotte said he was arguingwitha manager following a game when Comitale appeared, grabbed him by the shirt, pinned him against a car, elbowed him in the face and smashed his police badge into his forehead.
Ayotte, represented by Albany lawyer Lee Kindlon, indicated earlier this month he would sue the city of Troy over Comitale’s conduct.
Ayotte, who held a Nov. 5 press conference in Kindlon’s office, said he was disturbed when he learned of the past complaints against Comitale. He said he planned to sue Troy for alleged negligence, excessive force, emotional distress and more.
“This police officer assaulted me in front of many children who were at the field that day, including my 8-year-old son,” Ayotte told reporters during the press conference. “... The mountain of evidence of Dominick Comitale’s poor judgment and lack of impulse control greatly concerns me,” he said.
The city has paid more than $174,000 to settle four excessive force-related allegations involving Comitale since 2011.
In 2015, a jury found Comitale and Justin Ashe guilty of violating John M. Larkin’s civil rights after they beat, tasered and pepper-sprayed him at St. Mary’s Hospital in 2011. The city paid a $39,000 settlement in that case.
In 2014, an internal investigation exonerated Comitale of excessive force violations in connection with the 2013 arrest of a Hudson Valley Community College football player, but found that he had violated several provisions of the department’s code of conduct. The city settled that case for $60,001.
In 2013, Comitale and officer Brandon Cipperly allegedly beat Sam Ratley outside his home for playing music too loudly. The city settled that case for $60,000.
The city also paid $15,000 to settle a 2011 allegation of excessive force against Comitale after he stopped a man for an open container violation.