Cops accused of squatting in uber-exclusive Long Island getaway after breaking in with crowbars: Not seen in 200 years
This ritzy island has a cop squatter problem.The peace on bucolic Fishers Island – an uber-exclusive getaway far off Long Island only reachable by boat – has been shattered by a platoon of police officers who broke into a home with crowbars and forcefully kicked out ferry workers living there, a shocking new lawsuit claims.The $2 million suit filed by Fishers Island Ferry District officials argues the snooty town and Southold police have been trespassing at 357 Whistler Ave.for half a year – and brazenly broke property laws prohibiting wrongful evictions.The “actions have not been seen in this country, if at all, in at least 200 years,” the lawsuit argued.The tempest on the isolated isle began soon after Southold cops took over the island’s policing duties in November.But the island’s deteriorating police barracks – which were vacated by state police in 2023 – evidently weren’t up to snuff, so town officials offered the Ferry District’s home a few houses over as a temporary place for the cops to set up shop, according to the lawsuit.Instead, Southold town board members voted on Dec.
17 to revoke the Ferry District’s control of the property, without referring to any law permitting the action, the lawsuit contends.The Ferry District didn’t approve of the idea, given they had renovated and got it permitted for staff housing, the lawsuit states.District board members rejected the planned seizure in a vote of their on Dec.30, but on New Year’s Day the cops still forced their way inside, the suit claims.“In the face of the Ferry District’s refusal… the Town Board directed the police department to engage in self-help by breaking into and occupying the property,” the complaint states.The lawsuit claims the police department forcibly kicked out the Ferry District’s staff and cops have been living there illegally for more than five months, threatening to arrest anyone who tries to remove them.The district is now working to obtain a cour...