Crime & Safety
Lawsuit Against Harrison Police Dep't Goes to Trial
Suit alleges harassment, domestic abuse and allegations of police wrongdoing in 2007.
The last of several lawsuits against the Harrison Police Department involving either Sofia Saenz or her Husband and former Harrison PBA president Ralph Tancredi went to trial this week in White Plains.
Saenz initiated the suit and is seeking compensatory damages in an unspecified amount. The allegations stem from an issue in August 2007, when Harrison police officers were called to Annie’s Café on Harrison Avenue where a fight had broken out between Tancredi and Joshua Clark.
At the time Saenz had previously dated Tancredi, but began dating Clark after their relationship soured. The two men got into an altercation outside the café, where Saenz worked at the time, resulting in Tancredi allegedly slapping Clark who allegedly threatened Tancredi with a souvenir sports bat.
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Following the incident, according to police reports, Saenz signed an order of protection against Tancredi alleging a long history of physical abuse during their relationship. Those allegations were detailed in a video-taped statement. Charges were filed against Tancredi for second-degree harassment.
Prior to the prosecution of the case, Saenz and Tancredi reconciled as a couple and then married. Westchester County prosecutors were forced to drop charges against Tancredi when Saenz refused to cooperate in the prosecution.
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Saenz then alleged that the three Harrison officers — Detective Richard Light and Officers Mark DiGiacomo and Edward Lucas — forcibly held her and pressured her to sign the protection order in an attempt to discredit Tancredi.
The Harrison Police Department maintains that there was no misconduct on their part.
Tancredi was in attendance during hearings this week and, according to a court insider, was admonished by a judge for making signals to Saenz as she gave her testimony.
The case is continuing and the next hearing is scheduled for today.
Tancredi has had a long and difficult relationship with the department, which includes being fired in 2009 after an extended and aggressively fought process. In 2010 he was for allegedly flashing a fake police identification card during an altercation outside a bar.
The former Harrison officer has initiated four lawsuits against the department since his firing, each of which was dismissed.
