NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Sixty-five New York Police Department officers face misconduct charges for their actions during the Black Lives Matter protests that swept through the city during the summer of 2020, the Civilian Complaint Review Board announced Monday.
Of the officers identified by the board, 37 are flagged to face an administrative trial for the more serious charges, with potential penalties varying between loss of vacation, suspension or termination, according to the CCRB.
The other 28 officers should either lose vacation days or take additional training, the board recommended.
The recommendations come as the CCRB announced its investigation into 127 complaints made in connection to officer actions from 2020, when the police killing of George Floyd inspired protests across the country. The board substantiated complaints of misconduct containing 91 allegations against 65 NYPD members.
But all officers might not be held accountable for bad behavior. The board stressed that 34% of complaints could not be investigated because it could not identify the officers involved.
The board blamed this shortcoming on officers who didn't follow protocol — saying some covered up the names on their badges; improperly used body cameras; or improperly completed paperwork.
“After fully investigating over a hundred cases, the CCRB continues its commitment to investigating, and when necessary, prosecuting the officers responsible for committing misconduct against New Yorkers during last year’s Black Lives Matter protests,” CCRB Chair Fred Davie said in a statement.
Charges against the identified officers include abuse of authority, use of force, making untruthful statements, and offensive language, according to the CCRB.
“The [Administrative Prosecution Unit] is prepared to move forward with trials for the 37 officers who have received the highest level of disciplinary recommendations, as soon as the NYPD serves officers,” he added.
NYPD Sergeant Edward Riley, a spokesperson for the department, said the agency had complied with the investigation and worked the CCRB.
“Over the past fourteen months the NYPD has assisted the CCRB in their investigations by providing hundreds of hours of body-worn-camera footage as well as thousands of pages of records,” Riley said in a statement.
“The NYPD will move forward with the CCRB in the process of adjudicating these cases,” Riley added. “Police officers are entitled to due process and may choose to go forward with an administrative trial where evidence must be presented and may be challenged.”
Any discipline that results from a guilty plea or verdict will be made public on the NYPD’s online discipline database, he said.
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