I do not hate cops. Before becoming a NYC firefighter, my husband was a cop. But he never even gave anyone a ticket. He lived the motto "To Protect and Serve." This is my letter of complaint to the NYC police department after my run in with a cop on Staten Island. I also had a run in with two bully cops last summer. They claimed I was on my cell phone when I wasn't, and gave me a ticket for no insurance because I took too long to find my card.
Thanks for reading - below
November 2014
Dear NYC Police Department:
On the evening in question, I had been traveling from my teaching job in upstate NY, five hours away, with only the clothes on my back, to rush to Staten Island Hospital where my father was in the ICU unit. I had gotten a call that day that he had taken a turn for the worse and wasn't expected to live and I left work in the middle of the day to try to get to see him.
When coming off the highway that comes from the Outerbridge Crossing, I took a wrong turn. I was trying to turn around and was looking for a left turn. I traveled a few miles down, until I saw a road that had a left arrow and a left turn lane (at Richmond Avenue and possibly Richmond Hill Road.) It was dark and raining, and although my vision is good, I couldnt see very well. When the arrow turned green, I made the left and saw that there was no left option, so I had to make the U turn.
Officer x, Badge # x, ID # x pulled me over. I explained to him that my father was most likely dying, I had traveled 5 hours, had made a wrong turn and was trying to find Richmond Avenue. In a mocking tone, he said, "You are on Richmond Avenue." I tried to correct myself, saying I had meant to say I was trying to find Hylan Blvd, not Richmond Avenue and, realizing the futility of trying to explain myself to an officer who just mocked me for saying the wrong street when I was clearly distraught, told him to please just give me the ticket, and let me go.
He responded, "I will, because I don't like your attitude." I told him my husband had been a NYC police officer and a fireman, and he never would have been so rude to someone who was upset, lost and trying to get to see a dying parent. He said some more mocking things, and went back to his car.
Because I was now fearful for myself with such an insensitive officer, when he returned, I put my husband on the phone speaker using Bluetooth. Officer X handed me two tickets and said, "Here's a ticket for the U turn, and here's an extra one for your attitude. You turned on a steady red light."
I replied, quite upset, "That's a lie! You are a liar!" I repeated myself a number of times, as I was stunned. I was glad my husband was on the speaker, because I felt he was about to drag me out of the car. I got the officer's name and badge number, which he gave me again in a mocking tone, and then he walked away, and said, "Have a good evening."
I was stunned. Not only did your officer show zero sensitivity to the situation I was in, he blatantly lied about the red light. I had definitely turned on a green arrow, and since he was coming from the opposite direction, there was no way he could have seen it anyway. He gave me the ticket for my "attitude" and my husband clearly heard him and will be a witness to that as well.
Officer X gave your police department a black eye that night. I considered contacting the NY Post and NY Daily News, and still may once my father is more stable, because your officer definitely needs some sensitivity training.
I have documentation I can share showing my father was in the ICU if needed. I am pleading to NOT guilty to both charges, as the U turn was done in a poorly marked area, and I 100% did NOT make the turn on a red light. I have been driving for 36 years and have never received a ticket for illegal maneuvers for driving.
I am also sending this letter to the appropriate department make a formal complaint against Officer X, for bluntly lying about the red light and for his mocking and unprofessional behavior when dealing with me.
If he treats a middle aged professional woman this way, I shudder to think how he treats young people and those with whom he thinks he can get away with worse behavior.
Regards,
Adigal