Volpe v. Ryder

CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedApril 11, 2024
Docket2:19-cv-02236
StatusUnknown

This text of Volpe v. Ryder (Volpe v. Ryder) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Volpe v. Ryder, (E.D.N.Y. 2024).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK -------------------------------------------------------------------X CHARLES VOLPE et. al.,

Plaintiffs, MEMORANDUM AND ORDER 19-cv-02236 (JMW) -against-

PATRICK RYDER et. al.,

Defendants. -------------------------------------------------------------------X A P P E A R A N C E S: Peter E. Brill, Esq. Brill Legal Group, P.C. 64 Hilton Ave Hempstead, NY 11550 Attorney for Plaintiff

Scott M. Karson, Esq. Lamb & Barnosky, LLP 534 Broadhollow Road Melville, NY 11747 Attorney for Defendants Ryder Sacks, Massaro, and County of Nassau WICKS, Magistrate Judge: This case stems from Plaintiff Charles Volpe’s Fourth Amendment claim against Defendants Patrick Ryder, Commissioner of the Nassau County Police Department; Russell Sacks, Sergeant in the Nassau County Police Department; Joseph Massaro, Lieutenant in the Nassau County Police Department (“NCPD”); and the County of Nassau. He specifically alleged that Defendants unlawfully subjected him to a drug test while he was on sick leave from a line-of-duty injury. This Court previously granted Defendants’ motion for summary judgment to dismiss the Amended Complaint (ECF No. 155). However, now before the Court is Plaintiff’s motion for reconsideration of the order granting Defendants’ summary judgment motion (ECF No. 161), which Defendants oppose (ECF No. 163). For the reasons that follow, Plaintiff’s motion for reconsideration is DENIED. FACTUAL BACKGROUND A brief review of the factual background is necessary in the context of the instant motion. On December 11, 2018, Plaintiff Volpe was administered a drug test at the NCPD

headquarters in Mineola. (ECF No. 82 ¶ 59.) The test was administered at the authority of Commissioner Ryder, pursuant to Commissioner’s Procedural Order 8-95, which authorizes testing of NCPD members for cause upon reasonable suspicion of drug abuse. (ECF No. 145-5 at 6-11) (“Ryder Dep. Tr.”); (ECF No. 145-10 at 4) (“Commissioner’s Procedural Order”). The Commissioner’s Procedural Order 8-95 defines Drug Abuse as follows: Drug Abuse - The term “Drug Abuse” shall include the use of a controlled substance or marihuana, which has not been legally prescribed and/or dispensed, and the improper or excessive use of a legally prescribed drug. (Id. at 2.) The Commissioner’s Procedural Order 8-95 defines “Reasonable Suspicion” as follows: Reasonable Suspicion - Reasonable Suspicion that a member is abusing drugs exists when objective facts and observations are brought to the attention of a Superior Officer and based upon the reliability and weight of such information he/she can reasonably infer or suspect that a member of the Department is abusing drugs. Reasonable Suspicion must be supported by specific articulatable facts which may include, but are not limited to: reports and observations of the member's drug related activities, i.e., purchase, sale or possession of drugs, associations with known drug dealers or users, observations of the member at known drug related locations, etc.; an otherwise unexplained change in the member's behavior or work performance; and observed impairment of the member’s ability to perform his duties. (Id. at 3.)1

1 The Commissioner’s Procedural Order does not discuss whether these testing procedures apply to non- safety sensitive personnel, or off-duty officers or those on sick leave. Prior to authorizing the administration of the test, Commissioner Ryder was advised that Plaintiff suffered a line of duty injury to his right hand on October 4, 2016, and remained on sick leave due to that injury for more than two years, until after the December 11, 2018 drug test, and during that time, Volpe was taking hydrocodone, a prescription pain killer, on a daily basis.

(ECF No. 145-6 at 5-8) (“Volpe Dep. Tr.”). Commissioner Ryder was advised that Volpe told a Department Surgeon that he was unable to move his right hand, but Volpe was seen the same day using his right hand. (Ryder Dep. Tr. at 10.) In addition, subsequent to the date of Volpe’s right-hand injury, but prior to the date of administration of the drug test, Volpe was observed using his right hand to: put up Christmas decorations at his home; install a child’s car seat in his car; drag garbage cans between his house and the street; and operate his mobile phone. (ECF No. 145-7 at 6) (“Sacks Dep. Tr.”). Ryder was also advised that at a hearing on Volpe’s application for benefits, Volpe was observed by the hearing officer, Deputy Chief Ronald Walsh, to be sweating “profusely,” and his eyes appeared to be “sunken,” causing the hearing officer to suspend the hearing and report to Commissioner Ryder that the hearing could not continue

because “something’s wrong” with Volpe. (Ryder Dep. Tr. at 10.) Volpe testified at the hearing that, since the date of his hand injury, he had been taking Vicodin four times per day and Percocet once daily. (ECF No. 145-11 at 4-7.) (“Transcript of Benefits Hearing”). A Department Surgeon reported to Commissioner Ryder that the amount of pain medication being taken by Volpe exceeded that which was necessary and appropriate for an injury of the severity and duration of Volpe’s hand injury. (Ryder Dep. Tr. at 10-11); (Sacks Dep. Tr. at 8.) On December 11, 2018, Deputy Inspector Massaro was the Commanding Officer of the NCPD Medical Administration Office (“MAO”). (ECF No. 145-8 at 5) (“Massaro Dep. Tr.”). Det. Sgt. Sacks was the Deputy Commanding Officer of the MAO. (Sacks Dep. Tr. at 18.) Massaro and Sacks drove from NCPD Headquarters to Volpe’s home to order him to return to NCPD headquarters for administration of a drug test for cause based on reasonable suspicion that Volpe was abusing prescription medication. (Sacks Dep. Tr. at 9); (Massaro Dep. Tr. at 8.) Upon Volpe’s arrival at NCPD headquarters, he was directed to the MAO and then to the

men’s room located on the second floor of the building, across the hall from the MAO and the Chief Surgeon’s office. (Sacks Dep. Tr. at 10); (Massaro Dep. Tr. at 10.) Volpe entered the men’s room with Massaro, Sacks and Volpe’s PBA Representative, Officer Dean Losquadro, whose presence had been requested by Volpe. (Massaro Dep. Tr. at 10-11); (Ryder Dep. Tr. at 13.) Volpe stood at a urinal and was directed to provide a urine sample in a sample cup. (Massaro Dep. Tr. at 12.) Massaro and Sacks were standing behind Volpe, and Losquadro was standing by the bathroom sinks. (Sacks Dep. Tr. at 11.) Volpe was unable to produce a urine sample during this first attempt. (Sacks Dep. Tr. at 11); (Volpe Dep. Tr. at 12.) Volpe was then directed to return to the MAO to wait until he was able to urinate. (Sacks Dep. Tr. at 11-12.) While in the MAO, Volpe was given water, which he drank. (Massaro Dep. Tr. at 17.) They

waited approximately 45-60 minutes, and they (Volpe, Massaro, Sacks and Losquadro) then returned to the men’s room. (Sacks Dep. Tr. at 12.) During the second attempt to produce a urine sample, Volpe, Massaro, Sacks and Losquadro were in the men’s room. (Id.) That attempt was also unsuccessful. (Id.) During the second attempt, Massaro heard what he believed to be the sound of Volpe coughing up phlegm and spitting into the sample cup. (Massaro Dep. Tr. at 16.) Massaro instructed Volpe to dispose of the cup; Volpe placed the cup in the general waste can. (Id. at 14.) Massaro observed that there was an unknown substance in that cup, and he retrieved the cup from the waste can. (Id. at 15.) Following the second attempt to produce a urine sample, Volpe was instructed to return to the MAO. (Id. at 16.) Believing that Volpe had engaged in an intentional effort to sabotage the test, two members of the Department’s Internal Affairs Unit (“IAU”), Det. Sgt. Bellistri and Det. Sgt. Schuh, joined the others to witness Volpe’s third attempt at providing a urine sample.

(Id.

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Volpe v. Ryder, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/volpe-v-ryder-nyed-2024.