Philip Sinagra, the Woodstock police officer who sued town officials in March over how he’d been disciplined, put the town on notice that he intends to file a new lawsuit claiming town officials defamed and retaliated against him.
Sinagra’s Notice of Claim, a legal prerequisite to suing a municipality in New York, seeks more than $180,000 in damages. The claim, filed Dec. 2 in New York State Supreme Court, named Town Supervisor Bill McKenna and Sergeant Adam McGrath, using language that echoed the suit he filed in March.
It’s the latest twist in a convoluted tale that began in 2023, when Sinagra was put on leave shortly after four officers and a former dispatcher complained about a pattern of racist and sexist behavior within the department. That case was later settled by the town without an admission of wrongdoing for $70,000.
Sinagra said in his new claim that he was targeted after raising concerns about departmental safety issues and evidence-handling practices and that McGrath initiated false disciplinary complaints accusing him of theft and mishandling property. His claim also says McKenna pursued those allegations even though he knew they were unfounded.
McKenna, McGrath and attorneys for Sinagra did not respond to requests for comment.
In addition, Sinagra said he was barred from working regular shifts, leading to $80,000 in lost wages, and that when he was allowed to work, he was isolated without equipment, assignments, or meaningful duties. The claim also seeks $100,000 in damages for defamation and emotional stress, as well as legal fees. He’s being represented by Hurley lawyer Matthew Jankowski.
Sinagra’s claim also says he was defamed by town officials who made false statements about him to the Town Board, members of the public and the media, harming his reputation and future employment prospects. Those statements portrayed him as dishonest and unethical and were repeatedly disseminated over more than two years, according to his claim.
The claim came four months after a state Supreme Court judge ruled that Woodstock officials waited too long to bring disciplinary charges against him, finding that the town board began proceedings well beyond a 60-day deadline after learning of the underlying allegations.
That ruling followed months of controversy surrounding Sinagra’s employment status. Residents repeatedly raised concerns at Town Board meetings about why he remained on the town payroll while performing non-police work from municipal offices.
Noah Eckstein is the editor-in-chief of The Overlook. Send correspondence to noah@theoverlooknews.com.