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NY1

NYPD To Launch Program For Public To Report Police Abuse



July 30, 2008

As officials investigate two instances of alleged police brutality caught on tape, the police commissioner announced Wednesday that New Yorkers will soon be able to send their pictures and video of such incidents right to the department for review.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the program will be up and running in the next two months, but text messaging capability could be set up as early as next week.

"When people can record an event taking place, that helps us during an investigation. It's helpful," said Kelly.

The news came as the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association jumped to the defense Wednesday of another officer caught on tape using force against a pedestrian.

The latest video shows Officer Maurice Harrington hitting 46-year-old Michael Cephus several times with a baton as he was arresting him in Lower Manhattan on July 4th.

"I was shocked," said Cephus. "I was like, 'Why y'all doing this to me, what did I do?' And they didn't have no answer for me."

Photos taken after the incident showed large bruises and welts on Cephus's face, back and other parts of his body

"I wasn't resisting no arrest, I was never really put under arrest until I found out when I was on the ground," said Cephus. "They just started coming at me, hitting me, hitting me, hitting me."

Cephus's attorney, Steven Orlow, called the force extraordinarily excessive.

"To have the representative of the rank and file describe what occurred, what we all see in this video as absolutely acceptable and standard is to indicate there's absolutely something pathologically wrong with the standards that exist in the police department," said Orlow.

Orlow says police accused his client of trying to bring liquor into a park as he was heading to watch the fireworks. Harrington said in court papers Cephus was swinging an umbrella as a weapon and resisted arrest.

"He held with a death grip onto the baton of the police officer, resisted arrest," said Pat Lynch, president of the PBA. "A police officer cannot walk away, we must effect that arrest. They did and they did it appropriately."

Lynch said the officer was justified but the commissioner withheld judgment.

"I explained before if any disciplinary actions comes as a result of these investigations is going to come from me, so it's not appropriate for me to make those sorts of comments,” said Kelly.

The NYPD has placed Harrington on modified desk duty pending the outcome of an investigation.

He's the second officer to be taken off the street this week, joining Patrick Pogan who was reassigned after being caught knocking a cyclist to the ground during a mass bike ride in Times Square. Kelly says that case is also being investigated by Internal Affairs. The police union says Pogan took appropriate action.

The cyclist, Christopher Long, is facing charges of blocking traffic, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and assault.

Orlow filed a notice of claim with the city comptroller's office, putting the police department on alert of an impending lawsuit from Cephus.