The cry of excessive force is nothing new here in New York but in an era when the NYPD is trying to put on a new public face and the mayor is pressing for dramatically reduced traffic accidents, you wouldn’t think that an officer of the law would stop a fleeing bicyclist by ramming them with their patrol vehicle. However, according to at least one witness report, that’s exactly what happened in the East Village earlier this month. Now, some are accusing the officer in question of perpetrating yet another case of excessive force in New York City.
In a statement (that was captured on a recording made by a witness) the officer admits to attempting to get the bicyclist to stop after the rider allegedly sped through several red lights and continued to ride erratically.
What happened next is a subject of debate. The rider claims the officer swerved the patrol car in front of him, causing the bike to smash into the rear end of the vehicle. The NYPD claim that the officer did indeed swerve the vehicle in front of the bike to force it to stop. However, they also say there’s body cam footage that shows the rider was not on the bike at the time of the collision. Regardless of the details, the action ended with the bicycle jammed inside the rear wheel well of the patrol car.
Why would an officer of the law attempt to use his patrol car in order to stop a cyclist? Is this amount of force truly justified or is it another abuse of power and a clear cut case of excessive force in New York City? The answer to that question may be up to the NYC court system.
If you feel you’ve been the victim of an NYPD officer, a corrections officer, or any law enforcement agent, contact an experienced excessive force civil rights attorney in New York City right away. Call the skilled and experienced attorneys at the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 today.