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Spotlight on alleged NYPD misconduct
Complaints of aggressive behavior by police piled up during the 2020 protests following the death of George Floyd. According to a new watchdog report, out of hundreds of substantiated allegations, just a fraction of officers were actually disciplined.
NEW YORK - A new watchdog report has found hundreds of substantiated allegations against NYPD officers during the 2020 protests following the killing of George Floyd.
However, the report also shows that only a fraction of the officers were actually disciplined.
The Civilian Complaint Review Board, an independent NYPD watchdog agency, recommended disciplinary action against 145 officers, saying that 88 of them should receive the highest level of reprimand, which could lead to an administrative trial and ultimately termination.
The board also reported challenges during its investigation, accusing some officers of covering their names and badges to hide identities, as well as improperly using body cameras.
Of the 145 officers recommended for discipline, the NYPD has finalized 44 cases and imposed discipline against 18 officers, only 12% of the 145 cited by the CCRB.
"The NYPD has made significant strides and continues to work toward making our discipline processes transparent," the NYPD said in a statement. "Like any citizen, police officers should be afforded a presumption of innocence until and unless proven guilty."
Mayor Eric Adams also weighed in, saying he blieves in accountability but feels the process to determine any misconduct could be shorter.
In a statement, the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York blasted the CCRB, saying "The goal of CCRB’s shoddy ‘investigations’ isn’t to find the truth – it’s to justify their bloated budget and advance the anti-police narrative. Meanwhile, most of the violent agitators who injured nearly 400 police officers during the 2020 protests still haven’t been held accountable."