The NYPD is investigating an officer caught on video berating, insulting, threatening and basically throwing a huge hissy fit over a minor traffic dispute with an Uber driver.
The uploader of the YouTube Account that goes by Sanjay Seth, reported that the “Uber driver pulled around and gestured that he should use his blinker, casually and non-offensively, and kept driving us.”
Unfortunately for the driver, the person parking the car was not your regular New Yorker. The Uber driver had unwittingly gestured to a plain-clothed police officer.
[divider]UH-OH…[/divider]
The officer then pulled the Uber driver over and unleashed what is plainly seen in the video as a torrent of abuse and threats over the apparent lack of respect for authority!
[divider]Maybe he isn’t from ’round these parts?[/divider]
“I don’t know what fucking planet you think you’re on right now,” the offer yelled. “Pull over five f’king feet!”
Many assume that the officer is being xenophobic, but it is bigger than that. The officer’s reaction was more likely a response to the driver’s lack of concern and fear, the police officer yells: “I don’t know what planet you are from” and “How long have you been in this country?”
The driver, who answers that he has been in this country for two years continued to receive tongue-lashings from this officer on a power trip, citing “three traffic violations” he was supposedly guilty of, but never mentioned what they were, exactly. However, he can be seen handing over what appears to be a Summons in the video.
Sanjay Seth’s YouTube channel has the following brief explanation:
Police abuse of Uber driver in New York City. In an unmarked car, the policeman was allegedly attempting to park without using his blinker at a green light. (His reverse lights weren’t on. Likely double parked without hazards on.) The Uber driver pulled around and gestured that he should use his blinker, casually and non-offensively, and kept driving us. The policeman quickly pulls up behind us and this is what happens.
(This occurred just before 2pm on the West side of Manhattan, in police precinct 6, on March 30th, 2015. The officer did not identify himself, but he had a New York license plate: GSS 8891)
Warning: Graphic language
[divider]NYC Police Are Busy Fighting Crime. They don’t have time for this![/divider]
The police officer continued threatening that if he “didn’t have things to do” the driver would be in jail. As an attempt to justify his toddler-like tantrum, the officer took the time to make this distinction of who was wasting who’s time to the passengers in the vehicle.
“This guy is taking time out of your day for his vehicle and traffic violations,” he asserted. One passenger can be heard answering reticently, “sure”.
According to NBC, The NYPD says the Civilian Complaint Review Board has taken over the investigation into the roadside tirade in the West Village Monday.
Police confirmed late Tuesday afternoon that the plain-clothed man that is in the video, is in fact a member of the NYPD, but would not identify him. A spokesperson from the department stated that they “aware of the incident and video and it is under review.”
The officer in the video was out of line, but most importantly, his tirade goes beyond what many assume is Xenophobia. In recent years, public authorities have abused and used the power of the people to use force against them with it. It isn’t a dislike of people from other countries that bothers him. It’s the dislike of the people not respecting his assumed power and authority of your basic freedom. The freedom to let the officer know that he is breaking the laws he’s supposed to enforce without consequence, for example.
[alert type=red ]UPDATE:[/alert]
According to the NYPost Wednesday evening, the officer in the video was Detective Patrick Cherry and has been removed from the department’s elite Joint Terrorism Task Force. Until he is officially transferred out of the prestigious division, he has been assigned to desk duty.
“No good cop should watch that video without a wince,” Commissioner Bill Bratton said at a Wednesday press conference. “Because all good cops know that officer just made their jobs a little bit harder.”
“In that kind of encounter, anger like that is unacceptable,” Bratton continued. “In any encounter, discourtesy and obscene language like that is unacceptable.
“That officer’s behavior reflected poorly on everyone who wears our uniform.”
On Wednesday, Seth wrote “Just gave testimony to CCRB. The investigation is in their hands. Here’s to a quick, fair, and thorough resolution to this incident.”
If a CCRB judge finds Cherry guilty of misconduct, he could end up with a permanent mark on his record, according to sources from the NYPost. Disciplinary action would will ultimately be up to Bratton, who has the final say.
Uber spokesman Matt Wing said the driver from video did not receive a summons, after all.
“The behavior in the video is wrong and unacceptable and we appreciate the NYPD investigating the incident,” he said. “We are in touch with our driver-partner who was subjected to this terrible experience and will continue to provide any support he needs.”
