Cop Tells On Other Cops Who Assaulted Perp

It's cop vs. cop in an interesting Brooklyn incident that stems from a robber attempting to steal a car. A sergeant at Brooklyn's 78st Precinct accused three officers of assaulting a man suspected of stealing a car belonging to one of the officers. The Daily News says that Sergeant Greg Abrahams and officers Mark Zajac and Chris Kirch were off-duty when they saw a man trying to steal Abrahams's car, parked in front of 11 Lincoln Place in Park Slope.

The suspect was sitting in the car and had ripped out the front console, sources said.

Police said the three cops got into a struggle with the suspect, later identified as Alcado Gaspar, 47, of Park Slope. A neighbor called 911 to report a street fight, and cops from Brooklyn's 78th Precinct responded.

The officers arrested Gaspar and charged him with criminal possession of stolen property, criminal mischief and attempted grand larceny auto.

Then a 78th precinct sergeant said that the three had assaulted Gaspar, but others says Gaspar did not have any injuries. Internal Affairs is investigating and the three officers were charged with misdemeanor assault.

And in other NYPD personnel news, Richard Neri, the police officer who fatally shot 19 year old Timothy Stansbury on a dark Brooklyn rooftop in 2003, was suspended for 30 days as his punishment. Stansbury was unarmed and simply on the roof with a friend; Neri seemed to have shot at Stansbury out of nervousness. Police Commissioner Kelly said the shooting was unjustified, and the original NYPD department punishment was originally that Neri would lose 30 vacation days, but Commissioner Kelly made it more severe with the 30 day suspension. Neri was also moved to a desk job) Still, Stansbury family lawyer Kenneth Ramseur said the suspension was an "outrage" and says Neri's "too nervous and unstable to carry a gun." Here's Gotham Gazette on the shooting.

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By Jen Chung in News on December 30, 2006 3:38 PM

Comments [rss]

same ole song

Did you hear the mayor's press conference tonight on the officer shot by the bank robbers?

He actually said, this time they messed with the wrong guy. If that isn't a pseudo license to shoot and kill with a badge, I don't know.

Would be interesting to see what's going to happen on the Bell case. NYPD better start their mobilization plans for officers to come into the city now. and, oh yeah, we are paying for it.

Ace

When an Officer is given their badge and gun, does that also include a license to kill with immunity?

To "punish" the officer with only 30 days suspension is an outrage to the family and community. It demeans the value of human life.

The officer involved in the fatal shooting should be tried for manslaughter. The punishment meted out by the review board is appallingly wrong, and I question the integrity of this board to not dismiss the officer.

In 30 days he will be back on the streets, a dangerous menace to the public and a needless liability to the city.

We also have to ask ourselves if the union had the best interests of the public forefront in arguing leniency for this officer.

This was a bad shoot and the punishment, does not fit the crime. At the very least, the officer involved should be dismissed. Training should be stepped up to avoid these tragic mistakes. Perhaps a chapter on not shooting the innocent could be included in the manual and a greater emphasis to the recruits on the true meaning of what "protect and serve" really means.

Ultimately it will be the public who pays for this needless loss of life as the family will rightfully win a large monetary settlement from the city. But no amount of money will bring Timothy back to his family.