Get rid of NYPD’s bad apples

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To the editor,

It’s good that Police Commissioner Bill Bratton is “not happy” with the actions of a police lieutenant and three officers who arrested an on-duty postal worker. But time will tell if the commissioner’s unhappiness results in significant action.

Because if the account of postal worker Glenn Grays is correct, these cops should not be on the force. On March 17, working in plainclothes and an unmarked car (which they were not authorized to do), they allegedly nearly hit Mr. Grays’ mail truck. When Mr. Grays yelled at them, they arrested him.

Mr. Grays generously said he wanted the cops disciplined, not arrested. He later watered that down to an apology, perhaps influenced by his cop-fiancée. But if everything happened as he said, I disagree. Any cop who knowingly falsely arrests someone should at least be fired. If you want to go easy on them, don’t prosecute them for kidnapping, which is what a false arrest is.

Unfortunately, cops who abuse their power seldom are fired. A Dec. 24, 2015 Riverdale Press article referred to an investigation by WNYC metropolitan desk editor David L. Lewis. He reviewed court records and arrest data from the NYPD.

Mr. Lewis found that officer James Frascatore, who tackled innocent tennis star James Blake, had five civilian complaints against him in seven months. He asked and answered his own question, “What are the chances of this being one cop? Actually, the chances are pretty good...”

Mr. Lewis explained that a small number of officers are responsible for the majority of civilian complaints. So I don’t want to see all cops smeared for the actions of the bad apples. But I do want those apples removed from the barrow.

I also don’t want the bad apples promoted over good cops. Officer Edwin Raymond finished 8th among 932 candidates who passed the sergeant’s exam. He charged that he was passed over for promotion because of his complaints against ticket and arrest quotas.

Mr. Bratton’s response was “Bullsh-t!” If that is so, commissioner, then how come Mr. Raymond was passed over while one of the cops who killed Amadou Diallo was promoted? How come that cop was still on the force?

I’m grateful for all the good cops keeping us safe and believe they are terribly underpaid. But bad officers and bad management must be purged from the NYPD.

Richard Warren

NYPD, William Bratton, Richard Warren

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