Village In Shock After Ex-Briarcliff Officer Accused In Quadruple Homicide

BRIARCLIFF MANOR, N.Y. -- The fact that a man accused of killing four people worked as a police officer for the Village of Briarcliff Manor is not a headline most residents expected to see.

Nicholas Tartaglione with a K-9 officer in 2007 when Tartaglione was a member of the Briarcliff Manor Police Department.
Photo Credit: *File*

Sam Barron

12/26/2016 6:00 a.m.

Nicholas Tartagalione was indicted earlier this week for allegedly killing four men execution-style in an Orange County bar over a cocaine deal that went bad. According to the indictment, after killing the four men, Tartaglione drove with the bodies for 30 minutes from a bar to his farm in Otisville, where he allegedly buried them.

In 1999 while serving as a Briarcliff police officer, Tartaglione was charged with perjury and official misconduct after testifying in court at a DMV license revocation hearing for a friend. Tartaglione was ultimately acquitted at trial but fired by the village.

Local gadfly Clay Tiffany, who hosted a public access show called "Dirge For The Charlatans," won a $1.1 million settlement from the village after claiming Tartaglione assaulted him.

In 2003, Tartaglione sued to get his job back and received more than $300,000 in back pay. He retired from the force in 2008 on disability with a reported annual pension of $65,000.

Lori Sullivan, the mayor of the Village of Briarcliff, said Tartaglione had been off people's radar since he left the force.

"What he has done since 2008 is unknown to any of us," Sullivan said.

Sullivan admitted that it's not been pleasant seeing Briarcliff splashed across the headlines for something like this.

"I'm not sure anybody likes it, but we recognize it's part of their reporting," Sullivan said. "As long as the facts are true. We'd rather not continue to be associated with him. He was a police officer in three other departments."

Tartaglione also worked as an officer in Yonkers, Mount Vernon, and Pawling -- all prior to his stint at Briarcliff Manor.

Sullivan said she wished some of the good and positive items coming out of Briarcliff was also being publicized.

Former mayor Bill Vescio said it was disturbing to see the media constantly refer to Tartaglione and Briarcliff in the same sentence.

"While I was mayor, the Board of Trustees worked very hard for the village to hire good officers and follow the regulations and procedures required of such hires," Vescio said. "The current mayor and Board of Trustees have continued in that vein to bring in qualified officers to serve our residents with the highest level of service possible."

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