Adil Polanco recorded supervisors and police union delegates in the 41st Precinct haranguing him to meet a quota of arrests and summonses. He claims he witnessed supervisors refusing to take reports, a practice known as “shitcanning.” He tired of the demands, particularly the pressure to 14 stop and frisk innocent New Yorkers. NYPD Tapes 5: The Corroboration Another police officer secretly tapes His precinct—this time in the Bronx By Graham Rayman he Schoolcraft story was told Photographs by C.S. Muncy in a four-part Voice series that began on May 5 (“The NYPD Tapes: Inside Bed- Stuy’s 81st Precinct”). The seriesT was based on digital recordings made by Schoolcraft of 117 roll calls in the At the same time NYPD whistleblower stationhouse, which offered an unprecedented look inside the opera- Adrian Schoolcraft was secretly recording tions of a police precinct, and sparked a range of investigations and other events his supervisors in a Brooklyn precinct, in the period since the articles ran. an o≈cer named Adil Polanco was doing ● The revelations in the series have led so far to the transfer of the 81st Precinct commander, Deputy Inspector Steven the same thing a borough away in the Bronx. Mauriello, to Bronx transit, and the NYPD has also opened an internal inves- Polanco, short in stature and a native of the tigation into his conduct. Police Com- missioner Ray Kelly replaced him with Dominican Republic, and Schoolcraft, a native Inspector Juanita Holmes, one of the few African-American female supervi- of , come from diΩerent backgrounds, sors in the NYPD. Mauriello’s transfer came after demands for his ouster from local elected officials, clergy, and com- but they have a lot in common, particularly munity groups. In a May 26 letter to Kelly obtained by the Voice calling for Mau- the belief that the NYPD’s obsession with riello’s ouster, the pols, referring to the contents of the Schoolcraft tapes, wrote, numbers distorts a police o≈cer’s job. “Not only did officers treat our commu- nity as if it were the subject of a military Polanco, who was also making recordings to document what he saw as wrongdoing in his occupation, but they also were dismissive of criminal complaints made by residents.” precinct, tells the Voice that many of the same things that Schoolcraft observed in Brook- Kelly finally responded nine days later, on June 4, with a curt note, acknowledging lyn’s 81st Precinct were also taking place in the 41st Precinct in the Hunts Point section of the letter and saying he had ordered a review and analysis of the “assertions” made the Bronx. He claims that supervisors constantly harangued cops to hit quotas for ar- in their letter. (In the intervening period, Kelly and City Councilman Al Vann had a rests, summonses, and stop-and-frisks, even when it meant harassing innocent civilians tense exchange in a Council budget hearing over Kelly’s failure to respond to the initial who were doing nothing wrong. letter.) On June 22, the pols were joined by three local church pastors in a follow-up He claims that supervisors ordered officers to downgrade crime complaints and re- letter to Kelly, which mildly criticized him for his limited response, and asked for a fuse to take complaints from civilians in order to manipulate crime statistics. face-to-face meeting. “We believe that residents can no longer trust the precinct to “It happened all the time,” he says. “The reason was CompStat. They know what they are protect and serve them in its current leadership,” they wrote. Vann also issued an open going to be asked for in CompStat, and they have to have a lower number—but not too low.” letter in June describing Mauriello’s conduct as “inappropriate, disrespectful, and per- Polanco even has a recording of quota pressure coming from an unlikely source: a haps even illegal. . . . The question is why hasn’t he already been removed,” he wrote. police union delegate. Mauriello was transferred on the Friday before the July Fourth weekend. >> p16 15 NYPD Tapes: Part 5 from p15 The article disclosed that in late 2003, a man named Daryl Thomas got away with a O Kelly also met with clergy and appointed series of attacks on women because super- a special liaison from his office to com- visors in the 33rd Precinct misclassified municate with Bed-Stuy leaders. But the several of his attacks as trespassing instead reaction to the series exposed cracks in of sexual assault or burglary. Thomas’s the relationship between Kelly and minis- three-month crime spree ended by chance villagevoice.com ters in predominantly African-American when an alert neighbor spotted him push- neighborhoods, chiefly over civil rights ing his final victim into her apartment. issues and community resentment at the Police officers responded and arrested stop-and-frisk campaign, described in part him. It was only after the arrest that a 2 of the series (“Bed-Stuy Cops Ordered: detective, Harold Hernandez, figured out Turn This Place Into a Ghost Town,” May that Thomas’s previous attacks had been 12). In an interview last week, Councilman misclassified. The current investigation is Vann told the Voice he’s satisfied that Kelly being handled by a unit known as Group removed Mauriello, but he thinks there are One of Internal Affairs, which is tasked broader issues that go beyond the 81st Pre- to probe allegations against senior-level cinct: “I think it’s systemic,” he said. Vann NYPD commanders—captains and above, called on the City Council to hold hearings the sources say. The former commander of on the issues raised in the Voice series. He the 33rd Precinct, Jason Wilcox, has been and other elected officials were scheduled interviewed by investigators. A half-dozen to meet last week with Kelly and Chief of case files have been pulled and reviewed. Brooklyn North Gerald Nelson. He also Investigators have also spoken with oth- said that two of Brooklyn’s congressional ers working in the precinct at the time. representatives are examining whether to ask the Attorney General to When his son, Christopher, was fired by the police department for refusing to make O In response to disclosures in the Voice and investigate. Meanwhile, he says, several “bullshit collars,” Fred Bienz, a lawyer and retired firefighter, took up the cause, and The New York Times about police down- state elected officials from Brooklyn are found information that sharply disputed the department’s version of events. His efforts grading sexual assault cases, the NYPD looking into new legislation to limit the to get a new hearing for his son have been ignored. created a panel that may eventually recom- stop-and-frisk policy. “We think stop- mend more training for police officers. and-frisk should be modified,” he says. surance Division investigation, police want to give you his information? Who sources say that Mauriello’s transfer is cares? It’s still a 250.” Previously, the Voice O Frank Palestro, a police union delegate O A second departmental probe is said a clear indication that there was some withheld the names of Stukes and other in the 42nd Precinct in the Bronx, is to be under way involving Deputy Chief merit to the Schoolcraft allegations. lieutenants and sergeants from publica- reportedly alleging that after he called Michael Marino’s October 31, 2009, order tion in the series, but Stukes’s indictment Internal Affairs to report a corrup- to forcibly handcuff Schoolcraft and trans- O A sergeant whose voice is heard repeat- by a Brooklyn Grand Jury makes what he tion allegation, his precinct lieutenant port him against his will to the psychiatric edly on the tapes was indicted, along with said on the tapes a matter of public inter- found out about it and ordered him ward at Jamaica Hospital (“NYPD Tapes an 81st Precinct officer, for filing false est. The Stukes indictment confirms the transferred. He says that his lieutenant 4: The Whistleblower,” June 16). That de- arrest paperwork. Sergeant Raymond existence of a practice that Schoolcraft ordered cops to write fake summonses, cision, a police source says, was “out at the Stukes and Officer Hector Tirado claimed had complained about: that officers were refused to take criminal complaints, edge of the universe of acceptable orders.” they had seen a man illegally selling un- being asked to make arrests when they and tampered with a crime scene. Marino still has an open disciplinary taxed cigarettes from out of a backpack. had not actually seen the misconduct. case after he admitted to buying a steroid That man turned out to be an undercover But the motive for Stukes’s alleged be- O The Voice series sparked public outcry cream from a Brooklyn pharmacy under Internal Affairs officer. During one roll havior remains a mystery. Police sources among residents, elected officials, and investigation for steroids distribution. A tape, dating back to December 8, 2008, surmised that either he saw the arrest as clergy in Bedford-Stuyvesant, and it was departmental trial was held last Septem- Stukes tells his cops, “You gotta commit another quota number, or he was simply discussed in several public hearings in ber, and both sides are awaiting a judge’s a felony to get fired from this job. How cutting a key corner in the arrest process. Brooklyn and Harlem. One speaker was ruling, Marino’s lawyer tells the Voice. simple is that?” He goes on to suggest that David Miller, who says that his 21-year- cops who don’t hit their numbers will be O Internal Affairs opened an investigation old son has been summonsed 50 times

| ROBBINS | MUSTO | BLOGS | CONTENTS | | ROBBINS MUSTO BLOGS CONTENTS O An investigation into Schoolcraft’s al- punished, and essentially tells them to do into how a series of sexual assault/robber- over the years by 81st Precinct officers. In legations that crimes were being down- stop-and-frisks (“250s” in police parlance) ies in an Upper Manhattan police precinct one case, he was charged with trespass- graded has been completed, police sources solely for the purpose of making a number. were classified as misdemeanors, allowing ing for being in the parking lot of a local say. The NYPD has thus far ignored Voice “This job is so easy,” he says. “Just keep a predator to remain on the loose, police pharmacy. His father had sent him there requests to release the results of that the hounds off. A parker. A 250. Someone sources say. The case was the subject of to pick up a prescription for diabetes. investigation. While there is no official walking down the street. So what? I did part 3 of the Voice series (“NYPD Tapes “There was no complainant,” Miller says. word on the outcome of the Quality As- a 250. What’s the big deal? He doesn’t 3: A Detective Comes Forward,” June 9). “How do you give someone a >> p18

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^^^7HJPÄJ*VSSLNLLK\ 915 Broadway, (Between 20th and 21st) 16 New York, NY 10010 NYPD Tapes: Part 5 from p16 dil Polanco, now 29, began his career in Op- ‘WE WERE TOLD ticket when there’s no one complaining?” eration Impact in the On another occasion, he was ticketed A Bronx’s 46th Precinct in TO SAY THEY for standing in front of a grocery store 2005. After eight months and talking to friends. In a third, he was there, he was transferred to the 41st “FIT THE DESCRIPTION.” ticketed for an open container because Precinct in the Hunts Point section of villagevoice.com officers saw a bag filled with empty beer the Bronx, a neighborhood he calls “the BUT THAT JUST MEANT cans in the front yard. The cans were poorest square mile in the country.” YOU WERE SPANISH OR BLACK. awaiting a recycling pickup. In a debate Polanco says he did his job, but began in June, the Democratic candidates for to object to the constant pressure for IT WAS JUST FOR THE QUOTAS.’ attorney general said they were shocked numbers from his supervisors: “I did not by the disclosures in the Voice series, and become a cop to be harassing people in the illegal, but still have to hit your quota?” in public housing could own a 40-inch flat- made pledges to investigate the validity street,” he says. “You end up summonsing He says it was a common practice in the screen television. He ordered Polanco and of the NYPD crime statistics, if elected. innocent people. They don’t go to court, precinct for officers to be ordered to make his partner to leave the scene. Even though The group Picture the Homeless held two and the next time you stop them, they arrests when they hadn’t actually seen the the victim wanted a report taken, the lieu- public protests to highlight the NYPD’s have a warrant and have to go to jail.” misconduct: “One time, I was ordered to tenant closed the case as “unfounded.” questionable use of the disorderly con- That pressure included stop-and-frisks, give a guy a summons for no dog license, but In a second incident, an alleged burglary, duct charge to get people off the streets. which are supposed to be done when an the problem was I didn’t see a dog,” he says. the door had been pushed in. The victim Statistics obtained by the Voice show that officer has a reasonable suspicion that a The effect of this approach is that it strains claimed that $600 in cash and some jewelry in more than 50 percent of these low- crime has been or is about to be committed. relations with the community, he says: “A had been stolen. But a sergeant arrived at the level arrests, the charges are dismissed. “We’d make up a bullshit reason to lot of the time, I would apologize,” he says. scene and ordered Polanco to take a report justify the stop, when, most of the time, we “They are frustrated. They don’t trust the for something called “unlawful eviction.” O The series also contributed to the public had no reason to justify the stop,” he says. police. They feel we’re here to harass them.” “He said, ‘Don’t mention the money and pressure in favor of limiting the stop-and- “We were told to say they ‘fit the descrip- Like Schoolcraft, Polanco also observed jewelry in the report,’ ” Polanco says. “He frisk database. Despite extensive lobby- tion.’ But that just meant you were Span- manipulation of crime complaints. He told me that the numbers were high that ing by Kelly and Bloomberg, Governor ish or black. It was just for the quotas.” cited three incidents he personally wit- week. They look at the numbers weekly and Paterson signed a bill into law that would Polanco says precinct commanders nessed during which criminal complaints compare them to the same week the previous prevent the NYPD and other police de- need positive statistics to improve their were either downgraded or not taken. year. What they want is to show a decline in partments from keeping a database of chance of promotion: “They want you to In one incident, he says, he responded the numbers, but not too low, because it will names of people stopped but not arrested. summons people for disorderly conduct, to a call of a burglary in a city-owned apart- be harder the next year to show a decline.” The new law, however, does not address when they aren’t doing anything,” he ment. When he arrived, he noted that a In a third incident, Polanco responded the core issue of the alleged unconstitu- says. “If the summonses are down for the window had been broken, and the occu- to a call of shots fired. A bullet had gone tionality of the stops. As the Voice series month, they rush to get them up, so they’ll pant said cash and a video game had been through a vehicle window, but he was reported, cops were ordered to do stop-and- stick you in a checkpoint just for the stolen. He called his sergeant and a lieu- ordered to take the report as reckless frisks to hit quotas—an apparent violation of purpose of getting 10 summonses. What tenant. When the lieutenant arrived, he endangerment. “I was told to write that a the legal standard that allows the practice. happens when you don’t witness anything wondered skeptically how a guy who lived ‘sharp object’ went through the >> p20 | ROBBINS | MUSTO | BLOGS | CONTENTS | | ROBBINS MUSTO BLOGS CONTENTS

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18 NYPD Tapes: Part 5 from p18 ‘ ONE TIME, own representatives essentially order- ing officers to make their numbers. glass,” he says. “They didn’t have the perp, I WAS ORDERED TO GIVE A PBA spokesman says one of the and it would look bad for the precinct tak- delegates, Gaetano Fundaro, was ing the report for attempted murder.” found to be lying to his members Polanco says precinct supervisors rou- A GUY A SUMMONS about the quotas and was removed. tinely called crime victims back to try to “There is not now, nor has there ever villagevoice.com persuade them to withdraw their report FOR NO DOG LICENSE, been, support for quotas by this union,” or change their account in some way that BUT THE PROBLEM WAS PBA President Patrick Lynch tells the would allow the incident to be reclassified as Voice. “When confronted with informa- a lesser crime: “They’ll say, ‘You know we’re I DIDN’T SEE A DOG.’ tion regarding a delegate who made false not getting anything back on this,’ or ‘Do you claims regarding support for quotas, really want to make the report?’,” he says. been shot in the leg was arrested and taken “Twenty and one is what the union wants. the union took immediate action that If a robbery victim refused to return to the hospital in handcuffs because he . . . This is what the job is coming down to.” resulted in his removal as a delegate.” immediately to the precinct to speak to had a prior warrant on a minor charge. Later, another delegate tells cops in a Lynch adds that the PBA has filed detectives, cops were told not to take Polanco started wearing a tape recorder roll call, “Things are not going to get any grievances in the past on quotas, and actu- the report, Polanco says. “If the victim in August 2009 to capture some of the better. It is going to get a lot worse. If you ally won such a case related to the 75th couldn’t identify anyone from mugshots, practices he had witnessed. “It was the only think getting one and 20 is breaking your Precinct. He said the PBA has proposed a they would tell them they would follow way to prove what was going on,” he says. balls, guess what you’re going to be do- statewide bill that would allow the union up, but they wouldn’t take a report,” he He caught some of the same ing? You’re going to be doing a lot more. to challenge any punitive action against a says. “A lot of the time, they were Mexican things that Schoolcraft recorded, A lot more than what you think. This police officer for failing to meet a quota. or Chinese delivery people who don’t particularly the quota pressure. was all dealt with in the last contract.” “The PBA is unified in its belief that quotas really know how the system works.” “Twenty [summonses] and one [ar- This delegate is later heard to say: for summonses and arrests are wrong and The sergeants in the crime analysis unit rest, the monthly quota]—make sure “This is not coming from me—this is com- counterproductive for both police officers would call cops on the carpet to get them you take care of what you gotta take ing from higher up. The unions agreed and the communities they patrol,” he says. to explain why they took a given report, care of,” a supervisor tells cops in one on it. We’re unionized here. This is what In another parallel to the Schoolcraft he says. He says there was a special bin of Polanco’s tapes. “I don’t give a shit,” we pushed through. And let’s be smart story, Polanco was suspended on December for complaints involving the seven major another supervisor tells him. “You need about it. You gotta be smart about it.” 13, 2009, after he contacted the Internal crimes, and the following day, the com- to take care of your business, feel me? “Play the fucking game,” a del- Affairs Bureau (IAB) to make allegations plaints would be reviewed and “edited.” As a cop to a cop, make sure you take egate says on another tape. about downgrading, the constant demand There were also a couple of arrests that care of what you gotta take care of.” “The delegates were basically for artificial quotas, and what he saw as re- bothered Polanco: In one case, a sergeant Polanco also recorded something saying, ‘Go along with the pro- taliation by his lieutenant. “My supervisors ordered the arrest of a young man for hav- more controversial: two police union gram,’ ” Polanco tells the Voice. knew I had gone to IAB,” he says. “They ing a warrant for an open container, even delegates haranguing him to increase This is controversial because the were asking me why did I go to IAB?” though he had been slashed across the his summons and arrest numbers. Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association On the day he was suspended, he back—a wound that required 40 stitches In one conversation, a Patrolmen’s Bene- has long spoken out against quotas. says, Polanco and his partner were work- to close. In another case, a man who had volent Association delegate tells Polanco: But Polanco’s tapes capture the PBA’s ing a checkpoint. His partner >> p23

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to harassing regular working people. “I | CONTENTS BLOGS MUSTO ROBBINS Fall Volleyball League. did not come on the job to lock up people Teams & individuals welcome. for riding their bikes on the sidewalk,” he AllWe games sell Conin Manhattan.Åict-Free says. “I’m not going to hassle a normal guy AllCanadaian levels of competition Diamonds as long as he’s not causing a problem, when (over 375 teams). America’s #1 League! 263AMen’s W 19& THwomen’sST (Bet 7th Divisions & 8th Avenues) too! there are other real crimes going on.” 212-366-4888/4115 He started missing his quota, and his super- www.nyurban.com• visors immediately started pressuring him. 212-877-3614 At one point, after being called on the 1964 1969 carpet for not writing enough summonses, Super Super he told his sergeant, “This isn’t what I came Unusual 400 CES, 400 CN, on the job to do. I’m not going to make vintage blonde, Christopher Bienz was fired as a pro- bullshit collars.” The next day, he was Wedding Rings SB acoustic bationary officer assigned to Queens, chewed out by the precinct commander. in part, he says, because he resisted Bienz says he was also ordered not to making low-level arrests and issuing take a criminal complaint from a victim. summonses to hit quotas. At one point, The man was drunk, and he was saying that he says, he told a supervisor, “This is not he had been robbed of his wallet, credit what I came on the job to do.” cards, and cell phone. A police supervisor Gibson ® arrived at the scene and told Bienz, “We can’t take reports from drunk guys—get rid developed chest pains. Polanco wanted of him. Tell him to call us in the morning.” Super 400s to accompany him to the hospital, but Bienz says the precinct had a policy We Customize his lieutenant wanted him to stay at the that if a victim did not want to return im- Visit Herman Rotenberg checkpoint and write more summonses. mediately to the stationhouse to speak unusualweddingrings.com When Polanco insisted on going to the with detectives, no report would be 4 W. 47th St. (Booth 86) NYC 629 Forest Ave. ‡ S.I., NY 10310 hospital after his partner’s condition wors- taken. Both Schoolcraft and Polanco say 212-944-1713 718-981-8585 ‡ [email protected] ened, the lieutenant grabbed him. Polanco their precincts had a similar policy. mandoweb.com pushed him away. The lieutenant ordered Like Polanco and Schoolcraft, Bienz him suspended, and demanded his gun and says he was ordered to take arrests even YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO OUR STUNNING shield. Polanco refused, because he didn’t when he didn’t actually see the misconduct. NEW LOCATION IN MANHATTAN feel safe giving his gun to someone who After eight months in the 115th Precinct, had pushed him. The lieutenant told Emer- Bienz was transferred to the 114th Precinct in gency Services he was to be treated as an the Astoria section of Queens. There, he made “emotionally disturbed” person—the same a series of drunk driving arrests that earned term that Schoolcraft was tarred with. him praise from his precinct commander. GOLD Polanco is married with two children, One night, though, he was sent toGreenpoint Astoria and his wife is pregnant with their third General Hospital to guard a man who had cosmetics & ZEHAVA ROISMAN child. He lives in Rockland County. While been arrested on a gun charge after shooting di Or 37 years of experience A Your Skin-Our Problem he is suspended with pay, he must drive himself in the foot, and he ran afoul of a cap- Williamsburg PAR-MEDIC COSMETICS CONSULTATION FREE! each workday downtown to Internal tain who arrived to check on the prisoner. Affairs on Hudson Street and sign a log- The captain claimed that Bienz PEELING FOR ALL ACNE SCARS SKIN TAG book, then turn around and drive home. had been sleeping on duty, and is- SKIN PROBLEMS REMOVAL

He is assigned to the military extended- sued him an official reprimand. VILLAGE VOICE WRINKLES FRECKELS leave desk, which seems like an attempt Bienz went on working at the 114th. LASER HAIR FACIALS by the NYPD to hide him away. Instead, he Nearly six months after the reprimand, a REMOVAL No PIGMENTATION HAND has been outspoken, giving a deposition precinct supervisor ordered him to sur- DISCOLORATION to the Center for Constitutional Rights. render his gun and shield based on the cap- LASER FOR More STRETCH tain’s claims, which had somehow changed LIFTING SEBORRHEA ROSACEA MARKS from sleeping on duty to insubordination. eanwhile, a former rookie Just before Bienz’s probationary period LASER BODY WORK police officer, 26-year-old expired, he was terminated. He had little NAIL FUNGUS MASSAGE Christopher Bienz, is tell- recourse because rookie cops have no Ask Us How To Get Rid Of

ing the Voice about the job protection. The NYPD did not have These Problems A M UGUST quota pressure he faced to give a specific reason for his firing. He when he joined the police department. could have been fired for any reason.

Fast And Easy 25–A Bienz, of Smithtown, Long Island, Bienz’s father, Fred, a retired firefighter says that when he graduated from the turned lawyer, tried to fight his son’s fir- www.GoldCosmetics.com police academy, he was assigned to the ing. Suing for unemployment benefits for UGUST 115th Precinct in the Jackson Heights his son, he was able to find a nurse and the section of Queens. He was sent to work wounded prisoner, both of whom testified 31, a foot post on Roosevelt Avenue, and that Bienz was neither sleeping on duty 2010 was expected to make low-level arrests nor insubordinate toward the captain. and issue summonses to hit quotas. He also produced telephone records that BEFORE AFTER BEFORE AFTER “When I got there, they gave me my showed his son got a heads up from a fel- post and a map and threw us out there,” he low officer before the captain arrived, and >> p24 66 2nd AVE, NEW YORK, NY 10003 TEL: (212)-777-7783 says. “I remember walking out and not hav- thus could not have been sleeping. 23 $50 Specials Microdermabrasion-reduces pigments Deep Pore Cleansing Facial W/extractions Slimming & Detoxifying Body Wrap

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Councilman Al Vann, other political figures, and clergy in Brooklyn are pressuring Police Commissioner Ray Kelly to take action.

NYPD Tapes: Part 5 from p23 meet those quotas. This officer also al- leges that the practice of downgrading In an interview with the Voice, Fred Bi- complaints was a common occurrence. enz accused the captain of either perjuring The second officer, who labors in a Bronx himself or filing a false report. He also al- precinct, claims that the downgrading of leges that someone altered official docu- crime reports is a consistent practice that he ments in his son’s case. called “shitcanning,” Norinsberg says. Like “To this day, I honestly don’t know Schoolcraft, this officer found reports that why my son got terminated,” Fred Bienz were questionable and followed up with says. “I have documentation to substanti- victims. He claims that his precinct com- ate the altered evaluation, the false re- mander would file legitimate crime reports port, and the forged termination letters, as “unfounded” so they wouldn’t appear on but nobody from the commissioner’s the all-important precinct crime statistics. office seems to care to address the is- sues. They refuse to speak to me about it despite the fact that I’ve made every or Adrian Schoolcraft, life re- effort to communicate with them.” mains in a sort of limbo. He is Christopher Bienz is now working living with his father in a small as a mechanic in a bowling alley and F apartment in upstate New York, living at his parents’ home. He would and has no income. He has been

| ROBBINS | MUSTO | BLOGS | CONTENTS | | ROBBINS MUSTO BLOGS CONTENTS still like to work as a police officer, suspended without pay, and is facing de- but his firing makes that unlikely. partmental charges for going AWOL and, “I’m living the dream,” ironically, “impeding an investigation.” he says, sarcastically. He has filed a $50 million lawsuit In addition to Polanco and Bienz, that accuses the NYPD of violating his two more police officers have come civil rights when he was dragged to the forward to make similar allegations, Jamaica Hospital psychiatric ward for Credit Troubles: Every three minutes another person falls behind on credit card payments. Schoolcraft’s lawyer, Jon Norinsberg, six days after he blew the whistle. says. Norinsberg requested that the Voice In an odd touch, an NYPD official withhold the names of the officers. recently approached a Voice reporter to Credit card debt? One of those officers is from the 81st forward a settlement offer to Schoolcraft.  Relief on the horizon. ment by 35% to 50%, and reduce or elim- New Castle, PA, who said, VILLAGE VOICE VILLAGE inate interest charges altogether. “CreditGUARD literally saved my life Precinct, the same stationhouse where After the message was delivered, the police JIM CANNON Over 200,000 families, located through- and my marriage. We were three months Schoolcraft worked, the lawyer says. He official spoke directly to Schoolcraft and his CGA STAFF WRITER out the U.S. have regained financial inde- behind on all of our creditors, and owed pendence with CreditGUARD’s licensed, over $18,000—with no way out in sight. alleges that the precinct commander at lawyer. The offer was this: If Schoolcraft Every three minutes another person falls CreditGUARD of America counseled us behind on credit card debt. It’s no wonder, over the phone and lowered our monthly the time, Steven Mauriello, was given agreed to return to work and be served with since every major credit card company has payments by $286. Best of all, the credi- a “heads up” that Internal Affairs was departmental charges, he would “probably” nearly doubled the minimum monthly tors stopped calling us!” When asked how , 2010 payment on consumers’ bills. much was saved, she replied: “We’re sav- investigating Schoolcraft’s allegations. keep his job and would also become a wit-

31 Federal Regulators forced the change ing over $14,800 in interest payments, If true, that claim would add ammuni- ness in the case against Mauriello, his for- because of their concern about the grow- and our life and marriage is back on track ing mountain of consumer debt, which in only six months. We would recom- tion to Schoolcraft’s allegation that the pre- mer precinct commander, and Deputy Chief

UGUST stands at $2.17 trillion. Many consumers mend CreditGUARD to anyone in our sit- cinct commanders retaliated against him Marino. Schoolcraft declined the offer. can only pay the minimum payment, uation.” Angelo G. Of Bulverde, TX says, which can take up to 30 years to pay off. “I am not afraid to answer the phone or after they found out that he had gone to IAB. The Schoolcraft tapes have become Now, relief is in sight for millions of 25–A get the mail because I know it is not a Mauriello, this officer has told evidence in two other lawsuits against Americans. CreditGUARD of America, a harassing creditor!” non-profit licensed debt management bonded and insured service. Certified Credit Counselors at Norinsberg, described School- the city: one regarding the NYPD’s stop- service provider, is making a new program CreditGUARD of America has received CreditGUARD of America provide Debt UGUST craft as “that rat upstate.” and-frisk practices filed by the Center for available to lower debt payments and A high marks in consumer surveys showing Relief Consultations at no charge, when become free of all credit card debt in only high consumer satisfaction and confi- you call 1-800-880-6433. Calculate your In addition, this officer alleges that as Constitutional Rights; the other, a class- three to five years. dence. interest rate savings instantly online when recently as last April, precinct supervi- action lawsuit involving two dozen plain- Consumers need only $4,000 or more in The CreditGUARD debt management you visit their website at total credit card debt and at least 30 days program can actually turn a person’s life www.creditguard.org. sors were issuing actual quota numbers, tiffs, which alleges that quotas are what’s behind on any account, to cut their pay- Advertisement >> p26 24 around. One such case in Mary C. Of and threatening to fire officers who didn’t driving arrests and summonses. NYPD Tapes: Part 5 from p24 a level of spite here that is extraordinary,” ‘I JUST WANTED adding: “His hospitalization was a shock- ing violation of somebody’s civil rights.” TO LET HIM KNOW, HAVING Meanwhile, Schoolcraft gained a valu- BEEN THERE, THAT able supporter in famed NYPD whistle- blower , who called him and spoke with him for two hours. Serpico I UNDERSTAND HOW villagevoice.com declined a Voice interview request, saying only, “I just wanted to let him know, having HE FEELS.’ been there, that I understand how he feels.” –FRANK SERPICO ON HIS MESSAGE TO ADRIAN SCHOOLCRAFT Curiously, despite the damning evi- dence contained in the tapes and in the he is seriously considering holding a hear- not to more general questions of polic- Voice series—not to mention the disturb- ing on the subject: “As I have continued ing policies or practices,” he wrote. ing treatment of Schoolcraft—the city’s to investigate, the more concerned I have But that’s not really true. The CCRB does elected officials have been largely silent. become,” he says. “I’ve heard of everything launch investigations on “more general ques- “You would certainly hope to see from reclassification of complaints to ac- tions,” according to its website. The agency more aggressive action on the part of tual discouraging of victims. I’ve spoken to has, in the past 12 years, issued reports on Steven Mauriello (circled), commander elected officials,” Norinsberg says. victims from throughout Queens and the stop-and-frisks, policing protest marches, of the 81st Precinct in Bedford-Stuyves- Mayor Bloomberg has said nothing, entire city. If the mayor is going to use the strip searches, search warrants, pepper ant, received an award from Police Com- and his spokespeople, Stu Loeser and Ja- crime statistics to justify fewer officers, spray, and the use of hollow-point bullets. missioner Ray Kelly and Mayor Michael son Post, have not responded to any Voice then the numbers better be accurate.” Daw added that the CCRB Bloomberg in 2009. A year later, he was e-mails on the series. The series was met As for the oversight agencies, they, too, doesn’t have jurisdiction to investi- removed from the post in the wake of with silence by Deputy Commissioner Paul have been alarmingly mute. The Civilian gate whether a precinct commander the “NYPD Tapes” series in the Voice. Browne, the NYPD’s chief spokesman. Complaint Review Board (CCRB) has ut- is giving “appropriate” orders. He is currently under investigation. Other than Council members Al Vann, tered not a peep, even after Chris Dunn, The irony of this statement is that in Darlene Mealy, and Letitia James, the City associate legal director of the New York 1998, the CCRB actually did investigate Council has largely been mute. Council Civil Liberties Union, called on the board why there was an unusual rash of civil- Joshua Fitch, a lawyer in that case, says Speaker Christine Quinn has said nothing. to investigate allegations in the series. ian complaints in the 75th Precinct and the tapes are the “smoking gun”: “You take Councilman Peter Vallone, the chair When the Voice asked the CCRB 81st Precinct—the very same precinct the tapes and juxtapose them to the statistics, of the public safety committee, stuck his whether it would investigate elements that was the subject of the Voice series. and then you take the stories from the indi- toe in the water, but opted not to dunk contained in the tapes, CCRB spokesman Finally, the Mayor’s Commission to vidual plaintiffs, and you have a very clear it in all the way. He has the power to Graham Daw offered a tortured writ- Combat has naturally picture of what’s going on,” he says. hold public hearings on police issues, ten statement essentially saying that the been mute. That agency, created in the Incredibly, when Schoolcraft filed for but he has held none. None of his fellow board’s role is confined to investigating wake of the police corruption scandals unemployment benefits, the NYPD fought Council members on the committee even specific complaints: “The jurisdiction of the early 1990s, has become a tooth- him on it. returned repeated Voice phone calls. of the CCRB extends only to particular less husk, gutted of any influence. “The NYPD is making life very dif- Vallone, however, now tells the Voice encounters between police officers and ficult for him,” Norinsberg says. “There’s that his probe of these issues continues, and members of the public, and, in most cases, [email protected] CHEAPCHEAP LOWEST FARES % Munich/Berlin...... $149.00 Dublin/Shannon ...... $149 BuenosBologna/Naples Aires/Rio...... $219.00 ...... $279 15 OFF Dusseldorf/Hamburg...... $149.00 London/Manchester ...... $169 Warsaw/Zagreb Zurich/Geneva...... $279.00. . . . $319 IN TOWN Ladies...Turn London/Manchester Budapest/Prague ...... $159.00 ...... $169 Rome/MilanWarsaw/Zagreb ...... $299.00 . . . . $289 Budapest/Prague Madrid/Amsterdam...... $179.00 ...... $199 Bologna/NaplesBuenos Aires/Rio...... $299.00 ...... $289 COMFORTOURS.COM SVC. 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