An NYPD cop who was shot under his arm while subduing a suspect in Queens last year is suing the city because the department never upgraded his bulletproof vest.
Mayor Bloomberg promised to give all city cops better vests after P.O. Dillon Stewart was killed in 2005 after being shot under his arm where there was a gap between the protective panels.
The vests were supposed to be funded with $12 million in fiscal years 2007 and 2008, but Officer Rodney Lewis, who was a rookie at the time of the shooting, was never measured for his new vest, according to the lawsuit filed in Queens Supreme Court.
“He was one of several guys at his precinct who never got called down [to be measured for a new vest],” said Lewis’ lawyer Matthew Sakkas. “He was waiting and wondering, ‘What’s gong on?’”
He was wearing his original vest when he was shot while breaking up a domestic dispute on Menahan Street in Ridgewood.
The bullet lodged in his skin, but did not penetrate his chest wall.
Lewis returned to work after a couple of months, but he has yet top be issued a new vest that will protect his flank.
“They are obligated to give him a new vest, but he is still working with a temporary vest,” Sakkas said.
The city did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Source: NY Post)
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3 Responses
How is he claiming damages? Since it was an on the job injury, he should have been routinely compensated, and paid in full – automatically, without having to sue. Or is this a nuisance suit brought by someone with money to spend and a desire to harass – perhaps reflecting a desire to substitute unions and judges for elected officials in spending tax dollars.
I do not like all the quick and easy lawsuits, but in this case the guy is arguing over better protection to potentially save his life.
I think in this case his suit is valid.
If I were the judge I might not award him millions of dollars but I might award him something like $100,000.00
And order that he gets the newest most protective vest that any cop can get and that he must get it within a week or so, since his life is at stake, here.
Oh sorry I thought he was suing for millions of dollars.
So I would still award him the vest and order that he get it very fast.