Our investigation and report involved only a single unit within the State Police laboratory, the Trace Evidence Section, and the misconduct we detailed, which commenced in 1995, occurred prior to the appointment of Harry Corbitt as State Police Superintendent (“Dave’s Trooper Train,” Editorial, Jan. 4).
As noted in our report, Corbitt not only fully supported our investigation from its inception, but also voluntarily retained independent experts to review the flawed casework of the laboratory involved and provided critical assistance in compiling necessary records for our review, some nearly two decades old.
Reports issued by my office since my appointment in May 2008 demonstrate that I have not been timid in criticizing the conduct of any public official when appropriate.
Although “Dave’s Trooper Train” does not expressly assess responsibility on Corbitt for the misconduct described in our report, I would feel remiss if I failed to reiterate that Corbitt’s cooperation and assistance contributed significantly to the success of our investigation.
Joseph Fisch
Inspector General
State of New York
Albany