(PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)
Upon returning from Maimonides Medical Center at 1AM on Monday, Councilman David Greenfield is calling for an independent investigation into the arrest of a 71 year old chasidic man who was cited for speaking on his cell phone.
“It’s disconcerting to see a 71 year old grandfather sitting in the Emergency Room with bruises all over his face and body after his interaction with local police officers,” said Councilman David Greenfield after leaving the hospital. “The bedrock of policing in New York City is courtesy, professionalism and respect. The NYPD must investigate to ensure that these standards have been adhered to.”
“At the end of the day when you are dealing with a 71 year old short little man, a little common sense should prevail. The training in the police academy does not train you to do this to a senior citizen,” said Jack Meyer, president of Misaskim.
Yidel Perlstein, Chair of Community Board 12, said “Just looking at this Boro Parker you can see that he is not a threat. This could have been anybody grandfather. That why this is so disturbing.”
The 71 year old victim alleges that he was pulled over on 18th Ave and 53rd Street for allegedly talking on his cell phone at approximately 8pm. The elderly gentleman, whose native language is not English, says he was doing his best to explain to the officers that the light from the flashlight was too bright and therefore he couldn’t see his registration in his glove compartment. He says that the officers then dragged him out of the car, shoved him into the ground which was full of rain and dirt and arrested him for “disorderly conduct.” He was released after being taken to the local 66th Police Precinct on 16th Avenue in Boro Park.
“The bottom line is that while we are not jumping to any conclusions, we need an immediate and thorough investigation,” said Councilman David Greenfield. “I appreciate that the NYPD met us in the hospital to take a report and I expect a full, fair and transparent investigation.”
Disturbing video of 71 year old grandfather dragged out of car, forced to ground & arrested for alleged cell phone use in BoroPrk @NYPD66Pct pic.twitter.com/VV1FzBKHSt
— David G. Greenfield (@NYCGreenfield) October 30, 2017
(Chaim Shapiro – YWN)
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24 Responses
Like that elderly chinese guy who was beat up by cops even worse for failing to stop for a jaywalking ticket.
This is outrageous. These donut eaters should be demoted. Now you see what happens when you cover up for the rogue cops in Vermont, it has a ripple effect, here in NYC. These ticket givers think they are above the law and that they can abuse the local citizenry at will. I would like to see the candidates who want our vote to become the next Councilman, speak out.
Another reminder we’re still in golus.
First off, @not getting involved, the cop in Virginia did absolutely nothing wrong.
Second, while I’m not excusing what happened here, we only have one side of the story. We have no idea what really happened.
Not getting involved: What rogue cops in Vermont? They handled the speeding car that did not pull over according to how they were trained. Please don’t conflate two separate incidents in two different states. We don’t know know what happened here and until we hear both sides please reserve judgment. I would rather have the level-headed NYC Councilman Greenfield handle this then the NYS Assemblyman.
Joins the league of those rogue cops on United Airlines who finally were fired last week.
This is really not normal I just don’t know what to say but we should not be quiet when things like that happen!!!! Mr. Greenfield must do something about it’s a must !!!!
No one should stick up for NYPD officers who ride in squad card with the words emblazoned on the side Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect and they, inside those squad cars, are everything but that. They’re constantly on their phones -talking and texting – and giving us tickets for the same! They’re never seat belted yet they’re giving us tickets for seatbelt infractions. They’re busy giving us tickets for blocking the crosswalks yet they are the biggest crosswalk blockers around, and the only time they know what a red light is is when they see us go through one! The red light for them means nothing; nevermind whose life is in danger when they pass them. Furthermore, when they do pull some unfortunate soul over so that they could gather enough summonses to spend the day in court and not policing the streets, they double park and disturb the flow of continuous traffic without a care about the citizenry to respect. And so help you if you challenge them to move over! They are a bunch of disgusting individuals who lack any morals or respect!
I want to see a candidate address that! NEVER!
Whatever happened, he is an older man, who does not speak English well and who could not answer them on the spot.
There was no reason to beat him up. They took out their rage on an older Yid. Where are they when countless young
people talk on their cell phone while driving. This story is enraging.
A shanda!!! Throw those dirty cops into the mud, handcuff them, and roll them around in it for a while! Animals!!!!
I know two women in separate incidents that got pulled over for talking on a cell phone when they weren’t. One doesn’t even own a cellphone. These ticket givers treat law abiding, tax paying citizens like criminals on a regular basis in order to bring in revenue for the city. It is about time we get the guts to tell our politicians that it is time the police go back to being police and not revenue creators and then these things would not happen.
Only in deBlasio’s New York can an elderly man get beaten up for using a cell phone (a ticketable offense at best) while in other areas people can urinate in public, be drunk, harass people in Times Square, play the “knockout game” etc all without risk of being arrested. Sadly he’s going to win again in November. Look what our city has become…
Forget Greenfeld – this is a good lawsuit.
Either Federal or State!
Having been to at least two levayahs in the past ten years invovling accidents where the victim’s car was hit by another car whose driver was likely distracted while on a cellphone or texting, I wish the police were more agressive in enforcing the rules against using a cellphone or PDA while driving. Given that hands-free devices are readily available at very low cost, anyone who deliberately chooses not to use them is an accident waiting to happen. His failure to speak English is irrelevant to the crime he committed. DWT (driving while talkling/texting) ia the new DWI and should be punsihed at least as harshly., That being said, the officers’ handling of the arrest warrants review.
Even the cop worshipers should be appalled by this incident. The NYPD is out of control. It’s a sick organization.
But when it happens to blacks almost everyone jumps to defend the cops.
“Not getting involved: What rogue cops in Vermont? They handled the speeding car that did not pull over according to how they were trained. ”
They needed or order a family to the floor? maybe the training is stupid.
Police brutality against elderly Jews in boro park is Nothing new.
Eleven years ago the same type of event took place and the
subsequent outrage in the community led to the boro park riots.
@MTAB, yes. The officer who stopped them had no idea who or what was in the car. He was out numbered and the best and safest way for him to take control of the situation was to order the occupants/driver of the car to the ground. How would you suggest he handle this potentially dangerous situation?
Also, based on the pictures provided in this incident the elderly gentleman was not “beat up” or “assaulted” he has some minor bruises which I would imagine are pretty common among people who are disorderly when getting arrested. If you are disorderly you will be brought to the ground and unfortunately you might get a bump or scrape on your forehead elbows and wrists and you are restrained and placed in handcuffs.
Yosis wrote above “this is not normal”. Just for the record: What those cops did …. It maybe have not been humane, nor civil, nor necessary…BUT IT WAS VERY NORMAL for Police Brutality Behavior which is what its all about, and all it ever is.
Wrong. For sure.
but normal? Absoltely. Where have you folks been? This has been going on all across the country since Rodney King and even before in the Civil Rights Movement. Now its under the disguise of normal and expected behaviour/brutality for what civilians can expect from the police but its all the same. Always has been.
A police totalitarian state. Where no body is safe.
Give all sides the benefit of the doubt! Honestly, it’s impossible to make any conclusion/opinion without the full video of the story.
He couldn’t talk English and he was trying to tell the police in his native language that the police’s headlights were too strong and he couldnt find his registration. the police didnt understand him so they arrested him for disorderly conduct.
i dont know why YWN only posted one side of the story but you could find the whole thing on collive.com
So to all those…
Number 1 since when did using a cell phone while driving win you a grand beating? Maybe the police should be beaten every time they talk and drive which is pretty common. He obviously posed no threat whatsoever
So to all those…
Number 1 since when did using a cell phone while driving win you a grand beating? Maybe the police should be beaten every time they talk and drive which is pretty common. He obviously posed no threat whatsoever. Oh and I just watched the video closely again, I spotted a woman cop, who would’ve expected a different outcome? I have no problem with women whatsoever, but it’s a known fact that the “women cops” only wait for the opportunity to give a man( helpless against the law) a beating and as much trouble as possible. Absolutely disgusting.
What’s even more disgusting is the response to this on collive(chabad) of how this guy deserved this because he was on his cellphone. Absolutely maddening.