NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A Brooklyn NYPD officer was fined $500 after he admitted to posing as a 311 operator to get a resident to stop making complaints about officers' parking misconduct, the city Conflicts of Interest Board said.
In a 2021 phone call, officer John Madera of the 84th Precinct in Downtown Brooklyn pretended to be a 311 operator, telling the resident, Justin Sherwood, that he "might be barred" from the 311 system if he continued to make complaints, authorities said.
Officials said Sherwood made more than 900 complaints to 311 about officers parking their personal vehicles on sidewalks and bike lanes near police precinct stationhouses over nine months in 2021, according.
About a year ago Sherwood filed a federal lawsuit against the NYPD accusing officers of harassment over his 311 complaints.
Additionally, Madera was docked 15 vacation days.
Madera previously contributed $500 to about $25,000 the city paid Sherwood to settle the lawsuit, according to a disposition. Within the settlement, the city also paid over $130,000 in attorney's fees, Sherwood's lawyer told the Daily News.
