The officer launched into an expletive-laced tirade against the Uber driver in an incident caught on camera over perceived vehicle and parking violations.
A New York police detective who was caught on videotape yelling at an Uber driver was reassigned and condemned by New York Police Department Commissioner William Bratton.
The detective, whose name is reportedly Patrick Cherry, was transferred from the NYPD’s Joint Terrorism Task Force after being seen on a viral video lashing out at an Uber driver over vehicle and parking violations, according to a Reuters report.
The hair-raising expletive-laced tirade against the driver included questioning how long the driver had been in the country and mocking the man’s accent, adding that the “only reason you’re not in handcuffs going to jail” is because “I have things to do” and “you’re not important enough.”
The video, which lasts three and a half minutes, was captured by the car’s passenger, who talked with the driver after the officer left, saying that “it’s not your fault” and that the officer was on a “power trip,” according to the report.
After the video went viral, the police referred it to the New York Civilian Complaint Review Board for further investigation and potential discipline. Cherry was no stranger to complaints, according to information from the New York Times, which indicated that he had often exhibited this kind of behavior in a dozen previous complaints dating back to 2001.
However, the police union jumped to the defense of the officer, arguing that cops are “just like everyone else” and that “Cherry is a person of good character and an excellent detective,” according to the report. Michael Palladino, president of the Detectives’ Endowment Association, said that Cherry “should not be judged by one isolated incident.”
The NYT indicated Cherry, who is 38, and been with the department for 15 years. Under the terms of the reassignment, he will be barred from enforcement duties. Bratton said Wednesday that “no good cop can watch that without a wince,” according to the NYT report.
The Uber vehicle’s passenger, Sanjay Seth, was the one who lodged the complain with the Civilian Complaint Review Board.