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Photograph by JamesWolberg on Flickr
- From the Gothamist Newsmap: An all-hands fire at 261 Madison Avenue, a loose horse on Clay Pit Rd & Veterans Rd W on Staten Island and a building collapse/rescue at 128 St & 20th Ave in Queens.
- A 65-year-old Staten Island man is the first NYC resident to die from West Nile virus this year.
- The Daily News' Michael Daly tries to figure out who owns the dilapidated tennis courts in Bedford-Stuyvesant, "in a city that is still real estate crazy, this is a primo corner that nobody claims."
- Queens Crap is excited that the "ugliest building in Queens" will be demolished.
- A man who kidnapped his adopted son (he shared custody with his ex-partner) and took him to Israel apparently misread a Hague Convention provision and thought he couldn't be extradited.
- Another Hookergate hypothesis: Bo Dietl thinks the mob was behind Eliot Spitzer's downfall because Ashley Dupre was maybe friends with someone in the Gambino crime family.
- You've got until 8 p.m. to get out to Coney Island and watch cops beat up each other for a change.
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You think that they could have taken the picture from the right angle...
...or is it "artsy?"
take it easy jen chung.....care to enlighten us on your expertise on the NYPD rate of excessive force? there are statistics out there- did you bother to look those up before making that post?
The last bullet could be taken with some humor. But I think there's a lot of anecdotal evidence to make the point, one big example being the 2004 RNC arrests.
Um, Pierre Von Baron -- if that even is your real name -- have you been following the news at all lately? (Or ever?) The past couple months have been very bad for the NYPD, meaning they've gotten caught on video three times (that we know of) assaulting people. Or is it four? It's hard to keep count! The latest, though lacking video, involves two off-duty cops (who've been charged with gang assault) pistol whipping and shoving a gun in the face of a man during a road rage incident. Of course, let's just presume they're all innocent until proven guilty. After all, the NYPD would never abuse their authority, would they?
[gothamist.com/2008/08/19/two_cops_charged_with_gang_assault.php]
Jen and John- yes yes, points taken. I'm aware of the incidents. I suppose my problem was more with the flippant tone, which seemed to call out the NYPD in general (what are there, around 30,000 of them these days) for beating up civilians.
Obviously there are terrible incidents (and too many "normal" incidents) of police misconduct in this city's history. John, I'll happily discuss this if you like with my real name, but via email. I have indeed followed the news and actually have a decent amount of knowledge/opinion on the subject (and not just from the Wire).
Anyway, my basic point is that civilians like us have a right and probably an obligation to be angered by police misconduct. On the other hand, insulting all police officers can contribute to worsening relationships between the community and the officers (an us against them attitude). I don't think we'll ever get a police force to protect us that is perfect--while publicizing and talking about the incidents is beneficial, I'm not sure "humor" of the type "cops like to beat the shit out of innocent people" is the answer. Who knows.
Alright, enough rant. Thanks for responding to my post. Big Gothamist fan (although more on your stuff about things to do around town than your more political fare)!