And this is why having more cameras around the city is a good thing.

Ian,

Yes. Developing a factual record of continual inappropriate, and false police statements and behavior is a start to changing the system.

Why is it that every time video evidence shows up it shows that NYPD officers lying?

“They thought Chan had fallen off his bike after being startled by the lights and sirens of the patrol car.”

Guess promotions to detective are not very likely.

After watching a cop blow through a red light on lower Broadway, I caught up with him as he was stuck in traffic at the next red light. I asked through his open window, “if even the cops won’t follow the law, who will?” He shook his head and said I had a good point.

And I imagine at the next red light he came to, he blew right through it.

Here in the UK police officers are chosen, partly, on their ability to notice details… I’d say that if the two police officers didn’t notice that they’d knocked the man off his bike they don’t have the cognitive skills required to do the job they’re employed to do.
Let’s hope the Brooklyn DA is more capable of doing what he/she is paid to.

That video is an absolute nightmare – it’s an intersection I ride through every single day. It’s not enough that the traffic light at Jay and Sands is a double-cycle green with a protected right turn for cars. All manner of vehicles will slide wrong-way down Jay just to save a minute or two.

They were likely not going to an emergency call, because if that were the case, there would be no need to lie on their part, no investigation afterward and no charges. All they wanted was to leverage their lights, sirens and civil service status to get wherever they were going a little bit faster.

How does the prospect of saving those minutes sound now?

> How does the prospect of saving those minutes sound now?

I’m sure the cops (a) are going to receive suspended sentences, and (b) regret only being caught.

That said, I am the opposite of outraged by this story. It is a relief to see charges filed. (I also bike that intersection every day, and I’ve been saved by double disc brakes and quick reflexes from cars doing exactly what this cop did.)

For many drivers, the only thing stopping them from hitting bikers and pedestrians is the belief that they are likely to suffer serious negative consequences. For cops, however, the chance of suffering those consequences is much lower. Unless there is video evidence, a police officer who hits someone with his car can usually count on the support of his colleagues and the department as a whole against any allegations.

Maybe it would be good to carve out a traffic and vehicle crimes force form the NYPD, separate from the department, with the power to make arrests (including arrests of NYPD officers.)
Although maybe it would be simpler to just allocate a lot fewer cars to the NYPD and make them walk, ride bikes, or take transit.

Shame on the cop – they were hoping the old man wouldnt report and they would get away, I hope justice is served.

interestingly i’ve seen police on that corner for the past few days giving tix to drivers going the wrong way

Paul,

So, when you hear a siren, you immediately look for something coming from the opposite direction of traffic? I think perhaps you are at least semi-intelligent and would look at the direction from which traffic should actually be coming to spot the lights.

But then again, the cop could have gotten out and shot the guy three times and you’d still be saying the criminal got what he deserved.

J C

How was this tape obtained? I need to obtain such a tape from the Queensboro bridge camera, how would I go about getting it? TIA