Cops Keep 'Copped' Cars

In 2008, of the 3,062 cars that were impounded for their presence at NYC crimes, only 20 were returned to their owners. In 2007, just 52 of 3,488 cars were returned. New York City became the owner of the cars' pink slips. That's the law. To all you would be lawbreakers out there, know this. If you commit a crime in NYC with a car, chances are your car will get a life sentence… away from you.

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IMPORTANT NOTE: This piece was written today about an older New York City news headline. NYCo site delays prevented its publication before now. In an effort to entertain and educate this blog’s devoted viewers, 100’s of older headlines will be posted in chronological order until this blog is discussing current events again. Though some stories may no longer be as relevant as they once were, they remain interesting news items worthy of mention and viewer comments.

[This is a copyrighted editorial, originally published on http://www.NEWYORKCITYonline.com/NYC-Online/blog.php. We invite you to post your comments and reply to others. This piece may be duplicated or printed with permission.]

Taser Slay Jolts NYPD

Several weeks ago, a naked and distraught Bedford-Stuyvesant man was mistakenly "Tased" by a NYPD Emergency Service Unit officer. Iman Morales, 35, fell from a window roll-down gate to his death upon Brooklyn's hard pavement below, ten feet below. An initial police review determined that two officers (Lieutenant Michael Pigot who ordered the shot be taken and Officer Nicholas Marchesona who took it) were apparently at fault. Sadly, in the days that followed, the distraught lieutenant committed suicide. Tasers may save lives if used properly. The use of electricity to stun is arguably safer than using bullets to stop. Police guidelines state that a Taser should not be used "when the subject is in a position where a fall may cause substantial injury or death." Also stated in the guidelines is the fact that officers must assess the situation thoroughly before deciding to use a Taser. Had these two rules been followed, two of our fellow New Yorkers would be alive today. In 2008, 180 Taser shootings occurred in NYC. There was only this one fatality. That’s not a bad record for our New York City police department. To their credit and our benefit, even one death is too many. The NYPD is taking swift action and looking into solutions to prevent future fatalities. For example:
· There’s been a new commanding officer installed for the NYPD's Emergency Services Unit.
· All 440 ESU officers are being retrained at a Taser refresher course at Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field.
· Advanced knowledge of a situation can be vital to its peaceful resolution. A database of incidents at a particular address may be available to officers responding to emergency calls.
Additional mental health training for cops is being discussed as well as the use of a database culled from existing psychiatric records. This is sure to run up against reasonable opposition.
The NYPD will continue to examine this case for some time to come. Morales untimely demise may lead to a change in the morals of the NYPD. Let’s pray that from this double tragedy, not a single episode like this will ever occur again.

Police Holding Fire

“Stop or I’ll shoot” followed by the sound of gunfire has been heard less frequently around NYC recently. NYPD records state that shooting incidents were down12.6% in 2007 compared to 2006; however the number of bullets fired rose. Cops shot their weapons 111 times in 2007 versus 127 in 2006. They used 588 bullets in 2007 (136 during one occurrence alone) compared to 541 in 2006. 7 police officers were shot (3 fatally) and cops shot 19 people (all male, 10 fatally). Officers shot 39 dogs last year opposed to 30 dogs in 2006 (Can't let our city "go to the dogs," right?). Considering the tough job that police have, statistics confirm professional restraint by our men in blue. The police should be commended for their great service in New York City. When there’s trouble, theirs is one of the toughest jobs in our community. Don’t expect it to get easier for them anytime soon.

NYPD Segway Scooters Supposedly Suck

Since 2003, some cops have been patrolling on two wheels instead of two feet. Police Officer Gary Schneider, 42, trained other police officers on how to properly navigate around town on a Segway scooter. Sadly, a software glitch caused a demonstration ride to lock its wheels and throw him to the ground. He broke his leg so severely that he was unable to continue working for the NYPD. Now, he’s suing the Police Department for all of their purchase, maintenance and repair records. He believes that Segways suck and he’s looking to protect his fellow cops. He’s not faulting the city, but Segway, the manufacturer. Why again is it that cops need these gizmos instead of walking their beats in New York City?

Money-Making Metrocard Machine

For almost three years at a Penn Station MetroCard machine, three friends illegally received FREE fares totaling $800,000! Authorities claim it was the rarest of circumstances and combinations that enabled the trio to collect these fares undetected. They sold most of the LIRR and MTA cards to a long list of eager friends. Only a routine audit of a software glitch exposed the theft. New York City cops staked out the machine and eventually made their arrests. When they finally get out of prison, the three amigos would be well advised to walk the streets, not ride the rails. Easier to resist temptation that way.

Police’s Paltry Starting Salary Hurts Hires

NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly testified that within a few months, the lowest number of uniformed officers since the early 1990’s will be on duty. He says it’s directly related to the low starting salary of only $25,100. That is low! The entire force deserves tremendous praise in recent years for drastic crime reduction across the board. It’s not difficult to forecast though that at some point (probably soon), without enough boots on the ground to enforce the law, crime rates will surely rise. I suggest that those in power immediately approve a rate increase for new hires. At the same time, they must demand hourly accountability from those already on the force. NYC residents should always get their money’s worth whatever they pay for. One more thing to those still uncertain. We can pay them our cops better now … or pay for it in bad statistics later.