[GinaIsWild]

NY1

Online Video Shows City Policeman Pushing Cyclist In Protest



July 28, 2008

A police officer was taken off patrol duty today after being caught on video knocking a cyclist to the ground during a protest in Times Square.

The video was taken by a tourist on Friday night and posted on YouTube.com.

It shows the officer approaching and then pushing the cyclist during the monthly Critical Mass ride, which protests automobile usage.

Prosecutors say the cyclist, Christopher Long, was charged with blocking traffic, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and assault.

Police say Long was riding his bike in the center lane, forcing several drivers to use their breaks or change direction.

Critical Mass says this is the second time in 16 months a peaceful demonstrator has been thrown off his bike by police.

The arresting officer, Patrick Pogan, will remain on modified duty pending an NYPD investigation.

Video can be seen here.

UPDATE: P.O. Patrick Pogan has since lost his gun and badge.

[oneliRafmeene]

Patrick Pogan is a pig, and should have been arrested for assault!

[Jalieteplalry]

Ex-officer Pogan will end up with a nice police record.

And the taxpayers of the City of New York will end up paying out a multimillion dollar settlement for Pogan's actions.

Hey, Mayor Mike -- What do YOU think? You're the man in charge ...

[sabbixsweraco]

Officer Investigated in Toppling of Cyclist
NY TIMES
By JAMES BARRON
July 29, 2008
Related: Video From the Critical Mass Ride on July 25, 2008 (YouTube.com)
A New York City police officer was stripped of his gun and badge on Monday after an amateur video surfaced on the Internet showing him pushing a bicyclist to the ground in Times Square during a group ride on Friday evening.
The cyclist, identified in court papers as Christopher Long, 29, was taking part in a monthly ride, called Critical Mass, that often draws hundreds of riders. In a criminal complaint against Mr. Long, the officer, identified in the court documents as Patrick Pogan of the Midtown South precinct, says that the cyclist rode straight into him. But the video, posted on YouTube and on the blog Gothamist.com, shows the officer lunging toward Mr. Long.
The police said the officer had been assigned to desk duty pending a Police Department investigation. The police did not give the officer’s name or age or say how long he had been with the department.
The monthly rides have been a source of tension for the police since shortly before the Republican National Convention in 2004, when a large number of officers arrested more than 250 riders on charges that included parading without a permit.
In 2006, a state judge turned down a request by the city to forbid an environmental group that promotes the monthly rides from taking part in them, from gathering at Union Square Park beforehand and from mentioning the rides on its Web site.
According to members of the group, Time’s Up, the video was taken by a tourist standing on the sidewalk. It shows bicycles streaming down Seventh Avenue at 46th Street, past two uniformed officers standing in the middle of the avenue. After a few seconds, one of the two walks quickly toward the east side of the avenue and into the original path of Mr. Long’s bicycle. Mr. Long appears to try to steer clear of the officer, but the officer then shoves him. Mr. Long crashes onto the curb, and people gather around him and the officer.
Officer Pogan arrested Mr. Long on charges of attempted assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, the court papers say. Mr. Long, who other cyclists said works in the Greenmarket in Union Square, was released without bail on Saturday.
In papers filed in Manhattan Criminal Court, Officer Pogan said Mr. Long was weaving in traffic, “forcing multiple vehicles to stop abruptly or change their direction” to avoid a collision. Officer Pogan also said he suffered cuts on his forearms as he fell to the ground.
Officer Pogan said Mr. Long had flailed his arms, kicked his legs and refused to put his hands behind his back. He also said Mr. Long had “twisted away” from him, “thereby making handcuffing difficult.”
He said Mr. Long told him: “You are pawns in the game. I’m going to have your job.”
The video clip ends soon after Mr. Long hit the ground. Witnesses challenged Officer Pogan’s account of the incident.
One cyclist, Craig Radhuber, 54, said he was a few feet behind Mr. Long, whom he said he did not know. He said Officer Pogan “body-slammed this kid off the bicycle so hard that he went from the lane to the curb.”
“I went over to yell at the police when another officer came and asked me to move back,” Mr. Radhuber said.
Mr. Radhuber said Mr. Long had not been weaving in traffic, as Officer Pogan alleged. “There was no traffic behind us — there was no traffic to weave in and out of,” Mr. Radhuber said. “The police officer looked to see who he was going to pick off.”
Bill DiPaola, a director of Time’s Up, said he arrived just after Mr. Long went down. “He got up and was dazed,” he said, referring to Mr. Long. Then, referring to Officer Pogan and the other officer in the video, he said, “They put their knees on top of his head and were smashing him into a phone booth.”
A lawyer for Mr. Long, Mark Taylor, said the cyclist had been “assaulted by the police.” He said Mr. Long, who was bruised but not hospitalized, was not available for interviews. “We believe the video speaks for itself,” he said, adding that he hoped the Manhattan district attorney’s office would drop the charges against Mr. Long.
Norman Siegel, a civil rights lawyer who represented Time’s Up in 2006, said he had been asked by its leaders to look at the video. He said it “shows unacceptable illegal behavior by this particular police officer.”
“Unfortunately, it’s another example of how the N.Y.P.D. has targeted without justification the Critical Mass bike riders,” he said.
Cara Buckley contributed reporting.

Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company

[NumStulpata]

Little did the cyclist know that you can be charged as being the victim OF an assault by a cop.

When will these people learn!!!



Oh, the thing that gets me is the corroboration. Not only should this cop be fired, but the cops that were there and saw what he did shoudl be punished as well. Protecting a fellow officer is one thing, but if that officer is an arse, he is giving the police force a bad name (thank you budget cuts and higher pay for the top cops!).

These cops should be fighting for the honor/rep of the force, not for individuals that are so far beyond the line.

[abouthotels]

Rookie cop in hot water after video shows him slamming biker

By TAMER EL-GHOBASHY
DAILY NEWS POLICE BUREAU
Updated Tuesday, July 29th 2008, 3:13 AM

A rookie NYPD cop was stripped of his badge and gun Monday after a stunning video caught him slamming a bicyclist to the ground in an apparent unprovoked attack.

Officer Patrick Pogan, 22, of the Midtown South Precinct, was bounced to desk duty soon after the video of Friday's incident in Times Square appeared on YouTube.

"The video is bad - what can you say?" a police source said. The damning video not only revealed an out-of-the-blue attack but also seems to show Pogan lied about the incident in court papers.

Pogan was one of two cops at Seventh Ave. and 46th St. monitoring a Critical Mass bike rally when a swarm of cyclists rode by ringing their bells about 9:35 p.m. Without warning, Pogan, a former high school football offensive lineman, appears to single out one cyclist, jog toward the sidewalk and then slam his shoulder into the biker.

The impact sent Christopher Long, 29, crashing to the pavement in front of shocked onlookers.

"All of a sudden the cop picked this kid out and bodychecked him," said cyclist Craig Radhuber, 54, who was riding about 3 feet to the right of Long. "I couldn't believe what was going on."

When Long tried to get up, Pogan and his partner tackled him to the ground and tried to handcuff him, witnesses said. Long "was startled and shaken, and the officers were being really violent," said witness Bill DiPaola, director of Time's Up! an environmental group that supports Critical Mass.

Long, of Bloomfield, N.J., was arrested and charged with attempted assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. He declined to comment yesterday. His lawyer David Rankin said "the video speaks for itself" and said he may sue.

In court documents, Pogan said he saw Long weaving in and out of lanes and obstructing traffic before he ordered the cyclist to stop. The cop claimed Long deliberately drove his bike into him, sending both of them falling to the ground. Pogan claimed to have suffered cuts from the impact.

The video clearly shows Long trying to dodge Pogan, who appears to have remained upright the entire time.

Long, a grocer at the Union Square Green Market, has been described as an Army veteran and mild-mannered environmental activist. "He is a very well-meaning guy," said his boss, Morse Pitts, 56.

A law enforcement source said the charges against Long would likely "go away" and another source predicted Pogan would be fired.

Police spokesman Paul Browne said the incident is being investigated.

Pogan's father, a retired NYPD detective who worked on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, defended his son's actions last night. "You gotta do what you gotta do to make an arrest," said Patrick Pogan Sr., 51, who retired in 2002.

He said his son is the third generation of NYPD in the family. "I'm proud of my son. He's a good kid."

Critical Mass and Time's Up! - which advocate for environmental issues with the monthly protest ride - have long complained about NYPD harassment. Police officials said the groups disrupt traffic and lack permits.

"Cyclists here already face enough obstacles - law enforcement shouldn't be one of them," said City Councilman David Yassky (D-Brooklyn), a supporter of biker rights.

Copyright 2008 NYDailyNews.com

[Nutpoode]

Pogan's father, a retired NYPD detective who worked on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, defended his son's actions last night. "You gotta do what you gotta do to make an arrest," said Patrick Pogan Sr., 51, who retired in 2002. 1. His son body checks a kid in plain view and he, as a father and cop, deliberately keeps his eyes closed. "Make an arrest?" WTH?

2. This man is part, or was part of the Terrorist Task Force? Makes me feel safe! (not).

3. Retired. RETIRED IN 2K2! 6 FRIGGING YEARS ago he retired, on full pension and benefits, at the ripe old age of 45.

I know that there are physical requirements on cops, but to be able to retire, not quit, at 45??!? How much does this cost us to keep these guys on pension for 25-35 years??? For longer than they served????? Haw can this be remedied?



Anyway, we, the taxpayers, are going to have to give this kid money for being beat up by an arse that took the very law he is supposed to SERVE, into his own fore-arms.

[PareKeect]

I tend to err on the side of not trusting NYPD cops.

I think that a serious part of the problem is the failure to hire NYC residents. If cops came from the neighborhoods they patrolled, they'd have an understanding of New York City's resident policing need.

What is a guy from Bloomfield, NJ, doing as an NYPD officer. He's third generation? People argue about the inheritance of Rent Stabilized apartments in NYC by family members. How about inheriting a job? In a city of 8 million people, we can't find 40,000 qualified people? Before you answer that, consider how many candidaes walk away knowing that family legacy moves you to the head of the class.

What a corrupt system and department.

[Inenuedbabnor]

That video is incredible! What a thug.

The sheer volume of inappropriate police behavior captured on the internet makes one wonder about what doesn't get caught, and what cops got away with before youtube.

This officer is toast and rightfully so. Unfortunately as Lofter indicated, our tax dollars will fund a settlement. I also agree with NH, the other officers should be disciplined as well.

[77Dinaartickire]

Critical Mass is a pain in the neck, but nobody should get assulted like that

[TodeImmabbedo]

NYPD really needs to be examined in regard to Critical Mass -- which could reveal deeper patterns and agendas in regard to how the NYPD deals with and responds to the public who are deemed troublesome.

If this rookie cop felt that he could -- with impunity -- throw a body check against a cyclist -- one who was not doing anything but riding down a public thoroughfare and who was NOT, for example, running a red light or riding on a sidewalk -- then it brings into question what the training entailed which led to the officer's over-the-top and seemingly illegal action. And, as Ninja pointed out, in regards to the fellow officer on the scene who clearly saw his partner's action against the cyclist (view the tape at second 0.25 and again at second 0.59): Why did the 2nd officer think that he could and should back up the assaulting officer's false statement about what happened?

Were cops under direction to arrest a certain number of cyclists, for what evercause, during the CM ride?

If this is how NYPD deals with a skinny white guy on a bicycle in the middle of Times Square with all sorts of folks looking on ...

[stadiaKab]

Brooklynrider is right on, and evidently one great thing about youtube and everybody having video capturing skills is that now there will always be people nearby to watch the watchers. NYC police officers take note: you can't keep beating up protestors every time we get together without it being exposed to a world anxious to consume these videos and bring them to the eyes of people that will seek justice.
In the 90's as technology advanced and they started to put cameras on every corner and light post, who the hell would take a chance of picking their nose anymore, let alone stabbing somebody. Of course crime went down under constant surveillance of every square foot of sidewalk and vestibule. Just not the crime on the part of the thug police toward the citizens. That seemed to just get worse and worse, especially if you were a protestor or a member of a "minority" group.
But now the web 2.0 may change things a bit. Cops are watching us every second of the day, well now we're watching and recording them too. Citizens aren't going to take this crap anymore. I hope somebody beats that cop up really bad one night when he's out. Oh, and check his blood for roids, a lot of these young cops are hopped up on drugs and prone to outbursts of chemical rage. Like I've said, the NYC force is a disgrace. Personally speaking, they've never been around when needed, just when they want to smash down a political protest or any good time. Like a bachelor party in Queens.

[Loonakind]

lofter, I wouldn't try to analyze it too much, this can just be chalked up to a NYC police culture of brutality and poor training and education. They crack skulls at every big protest in this town.

[9V42h1eT]

It's just one of the "perks" that makes up for lousy pay and questionable working conditions.

When you pay more to have an easier job in the 'burbs, what's the point of being in the city otehr than to park illegally, run red lights, and beat up the geeks you hated in HS because they got into the good schools and you didnt?


In all fairness though, realize that he does NOT represent 100%. He is one of the bad apples. The thing that should be stressed, maybe even more than the fact that he was bad, was the coverup. These guys should not be allowed to arrest a guy, falsify charges, and have other officers backing them up on them.

This is almost as bad as the old school "drop piece" they liked to us on all the old TV/movie crime sagas.

If cops knew that they would not only get caught, but punished AND FINED for covering up when their partner crosses the line from a free donut to beating up an innocent, maybe we would get less of them doing so. Unfortunately, any that do now are labeled as a snitch and ostracised from their co-workers.

NOT the way a "service" industry should be run.

[glopomcyte]

Expect to see a spike in these incidents in PDs across the country over the next decade, as returning combat vets move into law enforcement jobs.

Same thing happened in the late 70s.

[Grenader]

Now there's a cheery thought

Anyway, what's their big problem with Critical Mass? Why don't they JUST LAY OFF? All the big cities have these events quite regularly and never with this kind of shame. It's actually embarrassing, I bet they're reading about this in every metropolis with a Critical Mass. I'm sorry but this is no case of a "bad apple"; the CM people have been harrassed over and over again, this one just happened to get caught on video. These cops are socialized into thinking of these normal citizens engaging in civil disobedience as vermine, nothing but troublesome punks. Pseudo-terrorists. This is just one symptom of a systemic problem in the NYPD. Coverups, corruption; a blue version of the "omerta" is basically running our police force.

[Misespimb]

NY1

Video Surfaces Showing Second Officer Striking Suspect



July 29, 2008

A second city police officer has been put on modified duty, following the Tuesday release of a video showing the officer striking a suspect with his baton.

According to court documents, the incident occurred on July 4th at about 8:30 p.m.

An attorney for 46-year-old Michael Cephus claims his client was struck 10 times with a baton during an arrest. The attorney says police accused Cephus of trying to carry liquor into a park as he was trying to find a spot to view the fireworks.

In court papers, the arresting officer Maurice Harrington said Cephus was swinging an umbrella around as a weapon and that he resisted arrest.

The NYPD said Tuesday that the matter is under investigation.

The story follows on the heels of the release of another video, pictured above, in which a different officer is seen knocking a cyclist to the ground during a mass bike ride by the group Time's Up last Friday. The video appeared on YouTube.

The police union is coming to the defense of that officer. President Pat Lynch of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association said Officer Patrick Pogan “took action” when he observed the rider creating a “hazardous situation for the public.”

Lynch, who was unavailable for an on-camera interview, issued a statement saying the video shows the rider did not stop, like "any reasonable person" when approached by the officer.

But Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday it looks to him like Pogan crossed the line.

“It looked to me to be totally over the top and inappropriate, but the police commissioner is going to or is in the process of doing an investigation. I don't want to prejudice any investigation,” said Bloomberg.

As of Tuesday, Pogan has been stripped of his badge and gun – and has been reassigned pending a department investigation.

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

[lymnCymment]

The police union is coming to the defense of that officer. President Pat Lynch of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association said Officer Patrick Pogan “took action” when he observed the rider creating a “hazardous situation for the public.” THIS is what I am complaining about.

With a video like this, unless the cyclist was whipping around his bike chain striking pedestrians, there is NO reason for a cop to body-check him into, well, PEDESTRIANS!

"Benevolent" should not mean "Willfully ignorant". If a cop behaves like an arse, he should be ostracised by his co-workers and associations NOT defended and supported in such a manner.

This is not a case of he-says-she-says here. The cop is guilty of assault and falsifying records and should be punished accordingly.

[HaremShaih]

It's the great thing about video -- it shows what happened.

Now, perhaps this cyclist was weaving in and out of cars before the vid captured his image(even though there were no cars seen on the vid driving down Seventh Avenue), BUT ...

The Cop NEVER raised a hand as a motion to the rider to stop or to dismount. The Cop was walking toward the curb and then KNOCKED the rider to the ground with NO forewarning whatsoever. It was NOT a defensive move.

I can understand the Police Union wanting to protect the rights of its members, but the Union looks like a pack of idiots with some of the statements they are now making.

[Intory]

2ND VIDEO GIVES NYPD BLACK EYE


BLOW BY BLOW: Officer Maurice Harrington
is caught on video whacking Michael Cephus
with a baton while another cop handcuffs
the suspect before they finally subdue him.

NY POST
By LUKAS I. ALPERT and MURRAY WEISS
July 30, 2008

The day after a video emerged of a cop knocking a cyclist to the ground, a second tape surfaced yesterday, showing an NYPD officer whaling away at a man's legs with a baton.

The footage - shot on July 4 on the Lower East Side - shows Officer Maurice Harrington hitting Michael Cephus 10 times with a collapsible metal baton as the suspect appears to resist officers trying to cuff him.

PHOTO GALLERY: Officer Hits Suspect With Baton

Harrington, a four-year veteran working out of the 52nd Precinct in The Bronx, was working a special holiday detail on the day of the arrest. His badge and gun were taken away, and he was placed on modified duty when the tape was turned over to the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau.

The video does not show how the confrontation began. According to the criminal complaint, Harrington and fellow Officer Joel Medina said they encountered Cephus - who they thought was drunk - at around 8 p.m. on Delancey Street under the Williamsburg Bridge.

When they stopped him from entering a park, they said he swung an umbrella at them and struck both officers "with closed fists about the body."

Cephus, 46, says he wasn't drinking that day and denies having gotten physical with the officers.

"I was with some friends at a cookout," he said. "I stepped out of the park to get some ice. The officers told me I couldn't return because they said I had alcohol. I told them it was only ice.

"They thought I was drunk and they just came at me. They started swinging and hitting me with the batons."

Cephus was charged with assault, criminal possession of a weapon, menacing and resisting arrest.

His attorney, Adam Orlow, said that even if his client did what he is accused of, Harrington used "excessive force."

"Let me be clear: He is maintaining that he absolutely did not do anything they say he did," Orlow said. "He never took a swing at them. He never was aggressive to them."

Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch called the use of force "necessary."

Cephus - a truck driver from Brooklyn - said that when he arrived at a police station house following a trip to an emergency room, he saw the two men who shot the video. They said they had been busted for disorderly conduct. But earlier, they had managed to slip the tape to one of Cephus' friends.

Copyright 2008 NYP Holdings, Inc.