NYC Cop Body Checks A Passing Bicyclist

dragon-wings · Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:15 am

The cop is standing there as bike riders are passing by him, he body checks one of them knocking him to the ground. And the bicyclist get charged!

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=6292120
(link has a video of the incident with the story)

[Edited 2008-07-29 02:20:39]

[Edited 2008-07-29 02:30:49]

moo · Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:20 am

Quoting Dragon-wings (Thread starter):
The cop is standing there as bike riders are passing by him, he body checks one of them knocking him to the ground. And the bicyclist get charged! Angry

Its worth noting that the police officer has been stripped of his badge and gun since the video was posted, and its highly likely that the charges against the cyclist will be dropped.

comorin · Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:19 pm

The NYPD is usually a sanguine lot, but there are a few bad apples every now and then. I would be curious as to why he picked on this particular cyclist - something we didn't see or hear?

Unfortunately, the Officer was acting out what many of us in NYC fantasize about. Unlike other cities, bicycles in NY are not subject to traffic rules. Between messenger services during the day and delivery boys at night, they are the principal pedestrian hazard in the city. I have seen people tossed in the air by speeding bikers - its not like Amsterdam here. Bikes are not registered, do not stop at red lights, do not have headlamps, weave in and out of traffic with reckless glee.

I am not condoning what happened, but just wanted to add a local viewpoint.

NIKV69 · Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:20 pm

I would hope so, that was bad. Total thuggery and abuse of power. I am pro police but did he ever get caught.

lincoln · Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:35 pm

From watching the video, it looks like what happened was officer decided standing in middle of street was bad idea and decided to make a move for the curb, without being completely aware of his surroundings and the approaching cyclists.

At the same time the cyclist is coming down the street, sees officer moving and swerves to try to avoid him.

Officer is moving faster than cyclist anticipates, and officer perceives cyclist's "close cut" as an act of agresion and shoves cyclist in what he would perceive as a defensive move.

That being said, the officer was, IMHO, clearly in the wrong and should have been aware of the cyclist hurdling at him.

Lincoln

johns624 · Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:58 pm

Quoting Lincoln (Reply 4):
From watching the video, it looks like what happened was officer decided standing in middle of street was bad idea and decided to make a move for the curb, without being completely aware of his surroundings and the approaching cyclists.

The rider was part of a Critical Mass demonstration. The cop knew exactly what was happening.

lincoln · Tue Jul 29, 2008 1:30 pm

Quoting Johns624 (Reply 5):
The cop knew exactly what was happening.

It looked to me like a large pack of cyclists had just passed and this particular cyclist was at the tail end of the flock -- Possibly what was going through the officer's head was "Ok, it's safe to get out of the street (now that 300 cyclists have passed me)...whoa, what the hell?!? You trying to attack me? [shove]"

Like I said -- not completely aware of his surroundings at that instant

Kinda like the idiot in the minivan on my way into work this morning -- I driving was well behind a pack of cars, she was waiting on a cross street...pack of cars passed her, she started to accelerate, and nearly hit me... she lacked situational awareness.

swiftski · Tue Jul 29, 2008 2:01 pm

Same thing?

https://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...ms/non_aviation/read.main/1948875/

lincoln · Tue Jul 29, 2008 2:02 pm

Quoting Swiftski (Reply 7):
Same thing?

https://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...8875/

Same demonstartion, different city, different event.

NIKV69 · Tue Jul 29, 2008 2:26 pm

Quoting Lincoln (Reply 4):
From watching the video, it looks like what happened was officer decided standing in middle of street was bad idea and decided to make a move for the curb, without being completely aware of his surroundings and the approaching cyclists.

I think you need to watch the video again, it was intentional.

unattendedbag · Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:54 pm

Quoting Lincoln (Reply 6):
going through the officer's head was "Ok, it's safe to get out of the street (now that 300 cyclists have passed me)...whoa, what the hell?!? You trying to attack me? [shove]"

did you even watch the video? The officer tracks that one particular cyclist for a few seconds before taking two giant steps, rushing and body checking him to the ground. watch it again.

petertenthije · Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:06 pm

Quoting Comorin (Reply 2):
its not like Amsterdam here. Bikes are not registered, do not stop at red lights, do not have headlamps, weave in and out of traffic with reckless glee.

Sounds like amsterdam to me.

SOBHI51 · Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:18 pm

Quoting Lincoln (Reply 6):
It looked to me like a large pack of cyclists had just passed and this particular cyclist was at the tail end of the flock -- Possibly what was going through the officer's head was "Ok, it's safe to get out of the street (now that 300 cyclists have passed me)...whoa, what the hell?!? You trying to attack me? [shove]"

Like I said -- not completely aware of his surroundings at that instant

You must have watched another video from the rest of us.And lets give you that it was a simple fault of the police officer then why was the cyclist charged with assault on a police officer and resisting arrest?

Moose135 · Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:48 pm

From multiple NY area news sources, the police officer in question has been put on desk assignment and relieved of his gun and badge pending the outcome of the investigation. Several sources reported he is a rookie, who had recently been assigned to the Midtown area.

More than his actual actions (deplorable as they were) perhaps the bigger issue, as far as the NYPD is concerned, may be his reported statements following the incident. According to the court papers filed by the officer, the rider was weaving to disrupt traffic, then rode directly at the officer, knocking them both down. Both the video, and other witness statements, contradict the officer's account of the incident.

Analog · Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:37 pm

Quoting Comorin (Reply 2):
The NYPD is usually a sanguine lot, but there are a few bad apples every now and then.

If it's just a few bad apples, why didn't the nearby officers arrest the cop that assaulted the cyclist, or at least intercede and stop the arrest? Were all the officers present some of the "few bad apples"?

Whenever people refer to incidents of officers doing things like this as examples of a few "bad apples" I ask myself "Where were the good apples?" A good officer would enforce the law, even if it means arresting his/her partner. The fact that this never happens tells me that there are very few good apples out there.

Quoting Comorin (Reply 2):
Unfortunately, the Officer was acting out what many of us in NYC fantasize about.

I'll agree with that, except that, of all people, police officers should be expected to resist the urge to use illegal violence, even if such illegal violence is for a good cause.

bristolflyer · Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:38 pm

There's no defending that officer's actions.

Firstly he's stupid for doing it.

Secondly he's even more stupid for doing it in a public place that is highly likely to have video cameras running, and opening himslef up to be yet another youtube shaming statistic.

That guy needs to spend some time managing the stationary cupboard in his station.

Analog · Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:43 pm

Quoting BristolFlyer (Reply 15):
That guy needs to spend some time managing the stationary cupboard in his station.

If the stationary cupboard is in the holding cell. Not only did he commit assault, he knowingly filed a false report (a crime) with the intent of violating the bike rider's civil rights (you know, the freedom not to be arrested and jailed without suspicion/cause/evidence).

If the only punishment is suspension/desk duty it sends the message that it's acceptable for police officers to assault people and arrest the victims.

N1120A · Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:49 pm

Quoting Moo (Reply 1):
and its highly likely that the charges against the cyclist will be dropped.

Highly likely? I hope the cyclist sues the living hell out of the NYPD

Quoting Moo (Reply 1):

Its worth noting that the police officer has been stripped of his badge and gun since the video was posted,

Quoting Moose135 (Reply 13):
From multiple NY area news sources, the police officer in question has been put on desk assignment and relieved of his gun and badge pending the outcome of the investigation.

He should be instantly fired and arrested.

Quoting Analog (Reply 14):

Whenever people refer to incidents of officers doing things like this as examples of a few "bad apples" I ask myself "Where were the good apples?" A good officer would enforce the law, even if it means arresting his/her partner. The fact that this never happens tells me that there are very few good apples out there.

Exactly. The cops who saw what happened should have called for medical attention for the cyclist and arrested that officer immediately.

Quoting BristolFlyer (Reply 15):

That guy needs to spend some time managing the stationary cupboard in his station.

No, he needs to spend some time in prison.

David L · Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:53 pm

Quoting Lincoln (Reply 6):
Possibly what was going through the officer's head was "Ok, it's safe to get out of the street (now that 300 cyclists have passed me)...whoa, what the hell?!? You trying to attack me? [shove]"

Like I said -- not completely aware of his surroundings at that instant

I'm sure you're already regreting those comments but I have to ask... how stupid do you think that officer is? Smile

Quoting BristolFlyer (Reply 15):
Secondly he's even more stupid for doing it in a public place that is highly likely to have video cameras running, and opening himslef up to be yet another youtube shaming statistic.

The Golden Rule... if you really have to do it, don't do it where every second person present is pointing a camcorder in your general direction. Smile

SlamClick · Tue Jul 29, 2008 6:12 pm

NOTE: If you live anywhere in the civilized world and you go out among people you are on video almost all the time.

You have been warned.

(Bad cop! No donut!)

[email protected] · Tue Jul 29, 2008 6:38 pm

This moron police officer is gonna end up regretting his actions. Not only does this video prove his story is just a lie, he's going to taste some of the medicine he should be dishing out, i.e, arrest, court, prison, lawsuit, or at least to get the sack and never see a law enforcement career again.

northwestair · Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:16 pm

Quoting [email protected] (Reply 20):
This moron police officer is gonna end up regretting his actions. Not only does this video prove his story is just a lie, he's going to taste some of the medicine he should be dishing out, i.e, arrest, court, prison, lawsuit, or at least to get the sack and never see a law enforcement career again.

The officer won't see any prison time it's not like he killed someone. I would like to get the entire story before I sentence this man to the chair like everyone on this forum has. If there is a lawsuit then it would most likely be against the City of New York. I doubt that the officer has a large bank account.

bristolflyer · Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:26 pm

Quoting Northwestair (Reply 21):
I would like to get the entire story

How much more of the story do you need? The guy's phone number? His mother's maiden name?

I think all that is needed to be known is easily gleaned from the video and accompanying news article. I can't imagine anything that isn't shown here changing what most people (and I) think about what happened.

N1120A · Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:32 pm

Quoting Northwestair (Reply 21):
The officer won't see any prison time it's not like he killed someone.

Huh? Why shouldn't he? People go to prison for far less.

Quoting Northwestair (Reply 21):
If there is a lawsuit then it would most likely be against the City of New York. I doubt that the officer has a large bank account.

The suit would be against both.

Quoting Northwestair (Reply 21):
I would like to get the entire story before I sentence this man to the chair like everyone on this forum has.

The chair? That isn't what has been said.

northwestair · Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:35 pm

So you are the judge and jury for the officer and all you got to watch was a 15 sec video. Your right throw the book at him give the officer life in prison without parole. Or lets go ahead and give him the chair. I just would like to know if there is more to the story than just this short very short video.

N1120A · Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:24 pm

Quoting Northwestair (Reply 24):
Your right throw the book at him give the officer life in prison without parole.

Nice use of completely useless hyperbole there.

Quoting Northwestair (Reply 24):
So you are the judge and jury for the officer and all you got to watch was a 15 sec video.

Not the judge and jury, just want him arrested for what he did.

northwestair · Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:31 pm

Quoting N1120A (Reply 25):
Not the judge and jury, just want him arrested for what he did.

Arrested for what he did. Ok then fine lets arrest him and then release him within a couple of hours. Yep that would do a lot of good. I still would like to see more before I condemn this guy.

Superfly · Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:49 pm

Quoting Moo (Reply 1):
Its worth noting that the police officer has been stripped of his badge and gun since the video was posted, and its highly likely that the charges against the cyclist will be dropped.

Good!
One less bad cop to worry about.

Analog · Tue Jul 29, 2008 10:48 pm

Quoting Northwestair (Reply 26):
Arrested for what he did. Ok then fine lets arrest him and then release him within a couple of hours. Yep that would do a lot of good. I still would like to see more before I condemn this guy.

I thought that was standard police procedure: An officer witnesses a crime, arrests the person, takes the person to be processed and released within a few hours/days. If it's good procedure to apply to everyone else, why not apply it to police officers?

Moose135 · Tue Jul 29, 2008 10:49 pm

Quoting N1120A (Reply 17):
He should be instantly fired and arrested.

It sounds very likely that he will be dismissed from the force, and may face criminal and civil action, but in this country, we are presumed innocent until proven guilty. While the evidence seems to be rather compelling, he is entitled to an investigation and hearing by the NYPD. Being placed on desk duty is not expected to be his final punishment, but rather an interim step until the situation is full investigated.

I can't get on the other officers at the scene too much at this point. We don't know who else (police-wise) actually witnessed this. They may have simply seen a fellow officer on the ground with the rider, and had him claim the rider ran into him (as per his report). At that point, they may have had no reason to believe otherwise, and acted to protect a fellow officer.

Starbuk7 · Tue Jul 29, 2008 11:48 pm

Be it know that I am not condoning the officers actions, but you can not tell from the video if there were any words exchanged between the biker and the officer immediately before the shoving incident. Just something to think about. The biker could have said something to provoke the officer but again, I do not condone his actions.

N1120A · Wed Jul 30, 2008 1:55 am

Quoting Northwestair (Reply 26):

Arrested for what he did. Ok then fine lets arrest him and then release him within a couple of hours.

Huh? Are you saying we should let criminals go free?

Quoting Moose135 (Reply 29):
It sounds very likely that he will be dismissed from the force, and may face criminal and civil action, but in this country, we are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

I didn't say instantly convicted, I said instantly arrested. Further, he should be suspended without pay and put through the dismissal proceedings.

AirCop · Wed Jul 30, 2008 1:55 am

Okay, the guy will fail probation, and be let go.
The city will pay a few thousand dollars to settle this case.
The charges against the bike rider will be dismissed.
The now-former officer will get a slap on the wrist charge, fine, no jail..
and finally his new employer will be either UPS or FedEx as they will be impressed by the video, thinking that this guy won't allow anyone to get in his way. biggrin

Flighty · Wed Jul 30, 2008 2:22 am

Quoting [email protected] (Reply 20):
he's going to taste some of the medicine he should be dishing out, i.e, arrest, court, prison, lawsuit, or at least to get the sack and never see a law enforcement career again.

It is a real shame this cop was not arrested, then and there.

When a cop is illegally assaulting you, it is perfectly legal to respond with force. Unwise but perfectly legal. In fact, if in the ensuing fight this cop were to lose this fight and draw a weapon (within a totally extracurricular, illegal assault), it becomes armed assault.

A cop, like anybody else, needs to be brought to justice when he breaks the law. Seeing this video is extremely unsettling because there is almost no way to contain a cop gone amok. It is one of those legal paradoxes.

Imagine if that cyclist were an undercover officer. Now who's getting hit?

ronglimeng · Wed Jul 30, 2008 2:32 am

I guess before the widespread use of the video camcorder, it was just criminals and occasional shocked on-lookers who knew that a lot of police were not all we expected them to be. Did anyone ever doubt the word of a policeman, or two or three of them together with consistent stories?

And even with the video footage here that must show at least 95-99% of the story, there are still people looking for ways to excuse bad cops.

Video camcorders have got to be the greatest improvement in policing since...?....since the beginning.

StuckInCA · Wed Jul 30, 2008 2:46 am

Quoting Comorin (Reply 2):
bicycles in NY are not subject to traffic rules

You're not serious are you? Really? Traffic laws don't apply to bicycles in NY? If not, I need to move. I'm very skeptical.

N1120A · Wed Jul 30, 2008 2:47 am

Quoting AirCop (Reply 32):

The city will pay a few thousand dollars to settle this case.

Probably more than that.

N1120A · Wed Jul 30, 2008 3:04 am

Quoting StuckInCA (Reply 36):

You're not serious are you? Really? Traffic laws don't apply to bicycles in NY? If not, I need to move. I'm very skeptical.

I think it was a sarcastic remark. According to the woman on the report, who I believe was a spokesperson for the bike group, they do.

Moose135 · Wed Jul 30, 2008 3:58 am

Quoting StuckInCA (Reply 36):

You're not serious are you? Really? Traffic laws don't apply to bicycles in NY? If not, I need to move. I'm very skeptical.

And you are right to be skeptical. In NY, bicycles must adhere to many of the same traffic laws as other vehicles.

From: http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/bike-vt.htm

Quote:
Section 1231. Traffic laws apply to persons riding bicycles or skating or gliding on in-line skates.

Every person riding a bicycle or skating or gliding on in-line skates upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this title, except as to special regulations in this article and except as to those provisions of this title which by their nature can have no application.

Analog · Wed Jul 30, 2008 4:20 pm

Quoting Starbuk7 (Reply 30):
Be it know that I am not condoning the officers actions, but you can not tell from the video if there were any words exchanged between the biker and the officer immediately before the shoving incident. Just something to think about. The biker could have said something to provoke the officer but again, I do not condone his actions.

If the biker had done anything to provoke the officer's actions, shouldn't those things be in the police report? The absence of such facts in the report (which seems to only include lies about what was seen on camera) tells me that the officer himself thinks any earlier actions are irrelevant. Who am I to second-guess the officer?

As far as words exchanged: of course the biker probably spewed an angry, possibly violent, diatribe at the person who had assaulted him, and of course he probably struggled to get up. Who among us would not act in such a way? (Of course most of us would be smart enough to avoid such an event altogether.)

N1120A · Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:17 pm

Quoting Analog (Reply 39):
(Of course most of us would be smart enough to avoid such an event altogether.)

So you are blaming the guy for riding in a peaceable protest for a cause he believed in?

Cadet57 · Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:01 pm

Quoting N1120A (Reply 40):
So you are blaming the guy for riding in a peaceable protest for a cause he believed in?

Thru Times Square and obviously holding up traffic to the point two officers could stand in the street... You forgot to mention that.

N1120A · Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:31 pm

Quoting Cadet57 (Reply 41):

Thru Times Square and obviously holding up traffic to the point two officers could stand in the street... You forgot to mention that.

Um, those bikes were driving in compliance with traffic laws as far as I could tell.

Cadet57 · Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:34 pm

Quoting N1120A (Reply 42):
Um, those bikes were driving in compliance with traffic laws as far as I could tell.

Funny, I didn't see any cars driving by perhaps because they were backed up? or arm signals when any of them were riding thru....

N1120A · Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:51 pm

Quoting Cadet57 (Reply 43):

Funny, I didn't see any cars driving by perhaps because they were backed up? or arm signals when any of them were riding thru....

Funny that you are defending criminal behavior by this police officer.

Cadet57 · Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:56 pm

Quoting N1120A (Reply 44):
Funny that you are defending criminal behavior by this police officer.

Funny I never said anything either for or against the biker or cop. Did the biker do something that deserved to get the snot shoved out of him? Maybe, maybe not. Does the cop get what he deserves? If he is found guilty of wrongdoing, sure. But if he is found innocent (maybe hard to do with that video) But until then everything you or anyone else says is pure conjecture and is meaningless. No one here was a witness, no one here was that bicyclist or the cop so for us to defend anyone is rather pointless. Who is to say the cop was on a power trip or who was to say the bicyclist told the cop to F**k off. Just pointing out that if you are going to defend someone you should not leave out details, or say they are doing something they weren't...

N1120A · Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:05 pm

Quoting Cadet57 (Reply 45):
Did the biker do something that deserved to get the snot shoved out of him?

It is blatantly obvious that the biker didn't

bristolflyer · Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:49 pm

Quoting Cadet57 (Reply 45):
Did the biker do something that deserved to get the snot shoved out of him?

Quoting Cadet57 (Reply 45):
No one here was a witness, no one here was that bicyclist or the cop so for us to defend anyone is rather pointless

I have expressed opinions in this thread already. My opinion is influenced by the video shown and also the fact that the cop arrested the biker for the following crimes:
Attempted assault
Resisting arrest
Disordley conduct.

If the biker had done something then the cop would have made a statement about it or it would have become public knowledge. He did the wrong thing, then he dug his hole even deeper by lying.

Quoting Cadet57 (Reply 45):
Who is to say the cop was on a power trip or who was to say the bicyclist told the cop to F**k off

If the cyclist had said that to the cop then you can bet your bottom dollar that he/she would have been arrested for that, instead of the 3 reasons given above.

N1120A · Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:52 pm

Quoting BristolFlyer (Reply 47):
If the cyclist had said that to the cop then you can bet your bottom dollar that he/she would have been arrested for that, instead of the 3 reasons given above.

Um, you can't be arrested for that.

Flighty · Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:53 pm

I bet prisoners get a kick out of having an ex-cop in their midst.

Note, I like cops, I don't like crooks. When a crook is wearing a cop's uniform, I don't like him. Crooks belong in jail, not patrolling our streets.

Fortunately, where I live, the cops are pretty clean. I appreciate their service.

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