[NY] Sheriff's Dept. sought out bruised girlfriend of Deputy Zarriello

...The deputy appeared upset during an interview and said he was "having problems at home with a girlfriend," [Sheriff James] Campbell said. "It didn't sound right to us, so we proceeded to reach out to the girlfriend, and we interviewed her on Tuesday, and we could tell by the bruises and marks on her some assaults had taken place"...

Sheriff's deputy suspended, accused of domestic assault
Albany County 19-year veteran accused of choking girlfriend
Albany Times Union, NY
By CAROL DeMARE, Staff writer
January 18, 2008
[Excerpts] COLONIE - A veteran Albany County sheriff's deputy was suspended without pay Wednesday after being arrested for allegedly punching and choking his live-in girlfriend, making it the second time in his law enforcement career he has been accused of assaulting a woman. Craig Zarriello, 46, of Mountainview Drive, was freed on $2,500 bail and placed under the supervision of the Albany County Probation Department... He is charged with third-degree assault, a misdemeanor. A complaint against the deputy alleges that last Thursday and again Friday, he assaulted the 27-year-old woman at their residence... On Monday, he called in sick. When he showed up for work on Tuesday morning, his supervisor detected an odor of alcohol on his breath, [Sheriff James] Campbell said. He was given an alcohol breath test, blowing into the type of device used in field sobriety tests, and it came back negative, the sheriff said. The deputy appeared upset during an interview and said he was "having problems at home with a girlfriend," Campbell said. "It didn't sound right to us, so we proceeded to reach out to the girlfriend, and we interviewed her on Tuesday, and we could tell by the bruises and marks on her some assaults had taken place." Campbell said the department is awaiting the results of a drug test Zarriello was given after his arrest. In the fall of 1995, after nine years on the force, Zarriello was charged with misdemeanor counts of third-degree assault and second-degree menacing after his wife at the time filed a complaint that he struck her and threatened her with a knife... Zarriello was a sergeant at the time, Campbell said, and after that arrest was suspended without pay and demoted to deputy. Officials had said assaults on his wife had been going on for 14 months... In court, Zarriello was given an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal, Campbell said. In addition to the rank reduction, he was transferred... "He was also placed on probation for one year, and the probation was based on his participation in the appropriate counseling to correct his behavior and his alcohol consumption," Campbell said. In March 1999, Zarriello was again appointed a sergeant... Then in September 2003, he resigned and relocated to Bradenton, Fla., where he joined that city's police force, Campbell said. He returned to the Albany area in late October 2005 and was reinstated as a deputy...

Albany County deputy sheriff charged with assault
Man allegedly punched woman
The Daily Gazette
By Jill Bryce
January 18, 2008
...Sheriff James R. Campbell said Zarriello called in sick Monday and when he reported to work on Tuesday, his supervisors detected a smell of alcohol on his breath. However, an alcohol test came back negative, Campbell said. “He wasn’t himself, he was shaky, disoriented and he was interviewed and said he was having a problem with his girlfriend,” said Campbell. “Up until Tuesday morning we had no idea this was going on.” Sheriff’s patrols searched for the woman, and on Tuesday she came in and filed a complaint, alleging Zarriello assaulted her. He was charged with third-degree assault and an order of protection has been issued...