French again sits atop promotion list in Troy
He was passed over for captain after shooting
Detective Sgt. Randall French is again ranked at the top of the promotion list for police captain after the city Civil Service Commission approved the list Tuesday.
The commission’s adoption of the list comes three months after the previous list expired and the city delayed in filling a captain’s vacancy in order to get a new promotional lineup.
French was passed over for the last two promotions for captain by city officials because of the political ramifications of appointing him following his fatal shooting of Edson Thevenin during an April 2016 DWI stop, according to members of the police department.
French testified last week during a Rensselaer County Court criminal trial that he felt he should have been appointed.
The city and the Troy Police Benevolent Association, which represents the city’s officers, sergeants and detectives, are embroiled in a lawsuit over the city’s decision not to use the previous promotional list.
Former District Attorney Joel E. Abelove’s presentation of the shooting case to a county grand jury within days of the Thevenin shooting and the decision not to have French waive his immunity to prosecution when he testified before the grand jury are now haunting the sergeant’s career.
French and the city are the defendants in a multimillion-dollar federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Thevenin’s widow in U.S. District Court in Albany.
French scored a 96 out of 100 points on the test, then received an additional 3 points for seniority for a final score of 99 points, according to the new promotional list. He was followed by Sgt. Steven M. Barker with 90 points on the test and 2 seniority points for a total of 92 points and Sgt. Stephen C. Seney with a score of 83 points and 4 seniority points for a total of 87 points.
The test results were delayed due to an issue of calculating seniority bonuses for employees with more than 26 years of service, said John Salka, a spokesman for Mayor Patrick Madden.
The commission adopted a new system for seniority points in February, Salka said. The seniority bonus was calculated for the creation of the list on Tuesday.
The PBA filed a grievance over the city’s failure to fill a captain’s position from the previous list of French, Seney and Sgt. Salvatore Carmello to fill the vacancy created when Assistant Chief Chris Kehn was promoted from captain. Carmello is ranked fourth with 86 total points on the new list.