According to a report from the New York Times, the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating two police officers, Luis A. Vega (24891) and Yelena Bruzzese (9139) - both of whom are assigned to the 71st Precinct, following CrownHeights.info's release of a video showing the two officers brutally attacking Ehud Halevi. Vega has been placed on modified duty, while Bruzzese has not.

NYPD Investigating Officers After Video Surfaces

According to a report from the New York Times, the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating two police officers, Luis A. Vega (24891) and Yelena Bruzzese (9139) – both of whom are assigned to the 71st Precinct, following CrownHeights.info’s release of a video showing the two officers brutally attacking Ehud Halevi. Vega has been placed on modified duty, while Bruzzese has not.

The Police Department and the Brooklyn district attorney’s office have begun separate investigations into allegations of police brutality after reviewing video that shows two officers repeatedly striking a young man inside a Jewish community center in Brooklyn, officials said on Monday.

Paul J. Browne, the department’s chief spokesman, said Internal Affairs Bureau investigators also referred the case to the Civilian Complaint Review Board, an independent agency that investigates allegations of abuse of authority by the police. One of the officers, Luis A. Vega, has been placed on modified duty, he said.

The video, posted online on Sunday night by CrownHeights.info, shows Officer Vega punching the head and body of Ehud Halevy, 21, and another officer from the 71st Precinct, Yelena Bruzzese, battering Mr. Halevy with a baton for more than two minutes last week as he tries to fend off the blows.

According to a criminal complaint, the officers said Mr. Halevy had attacked them, causing one to suffer a sprained wrist, during an encounter on Oct. 8 in the Alternative Learning Institute for Young Adults on East New York Avenue in Crown Heights. Mr. Halevy was charged with a felony count of assault on police officers.

But the seven-minute video seems to contradict the officers’ account: It does not show Mr. Halevy striking either officer, though he does pull away from Officer Vega, using an arm to push off the officer and break free. The video was taken by a surveillance camera in the center’s lounge.

Rabbi Moishe Feiglin, a director at the youth outreach center, said he was disturbed by the video and the way the officers had treated Mr. Halevy. The rabbi said Mr. Halevy participated in the center’s program of educational, spiritual and counseling services for youths who are considered “at risk” in Crown Heights.

“It was very painful to see one of our members being treated like that,” Rabbi Feiglin said. “It seemed like a senseless beating and we felt compassion for this young guy being beaten like that. We all need to have more compassion.”

According to the criminal complaint, Officers Vega and Bruzzese responded to a 911 call of a dispute inside the outreach center about 5 a.m. The call was made by Trappler Zalman, a center volunteer, who performs security checks in the building. Mr. Zalman told the officers that he found Mr. Halevy “sleeping naked” on a couch inside the lounge. Mr. Zalman ordered him to get dressed and leave, telling him he did not have permission to be there. Mr. Halevy refused and argued that he had a right to be there, the complaint states.

In fact, Rabbi Feiglin said in a telephone interview on Monday, Mr. Halevy had permission to stay overnight at the center. He needed “a place to crash for a short period,” the rabbi said. Rabbi Feiglin added that it was unclear what had prompted Mr. Zalman to call the police, since Mr. Halevy had been sleeping in the lounge for about a month.

“We don’t know exactly why he called the police,” Rabbi Feiglin said, noting that the video does not include audio.

In the video, Mr. Halevy appears to be asleep, wrapped in a white bedsheet, on a black couch in the lounge. The two officers roused him, and all three engage in a conversation. Mr. Halevy stands, wearing a pair of sweat pants.

As the officers try to handcuff him, Mr. Halevy jerks his hands away, holding them behind his back. He backs up against a pool table. Officer Vega then assumes a boxer’s stance and punches him in the head. Mr. Halevy lands face down on a couch near the pool table, where Officer Vega delivers at least eight blows in quick succession. Officer Bruzzese appears to use her body weight to hold Mr. Halevy down on the couch, while Officer Vega punches him several more times, places him in a headlock and shoves his face into the couch. Officer Bruzzese repeatedly strikes Mr. Halevy with a baton.

A third officer, followed by at least 10 others, bursts into the lounge and helps drag Mr. Halevy off the couch and onto the floor. Once he is handcuffed, the officers stand him up and his hair appears wild and tangled; no blood or bruises are visible in the video.

Rabbi Feiglin said one officer used pepper spray on Mr. Halevy.

Mr. Halevy was charged with a felony count of assault on police officers and three misdemeanors: resisting arrest, obstruction and criminal trespass. He was issued violations for marijuana possession and harassment, court records show. He was jailed until Thursday, when his family posted his $1,500 cash bail or bond, Rabbi Feiglin said.

Jerry Schmetterer, a spokesman for the Brooklyn district attorney, said the office had opened its own investigation on Monday.

“We are investigating the conduct of the police officers in this arrest,” he said.

“This is a new low,” said Steven Banks, attorney in chief for the Legal Aid Society, which is representing Mr. Halevy. “You have to wonder when this is going to end. This is yet another instance of over-policing in which a situation could have been addressed without an arrest, let alone the use of force. This is yet another instance of the Police Department acting outside the bounds of what any reasonable person would think was appropriate.”

Rabbi Feiglin said he had not seen Mr. Halevy at the center in recent days and did not know his whereabouts.

The officers, according to the criminal complaint, said they told Mr. Halevy that if he did not leave, he would be arrested for trespass. Mr. Halevy, the officers said, then threatened them, saying: “Go ahead and try it. I am going to hit you.”

When Officer Vega tried to apply handcuffs, Mr. Halevy began to swing his fists and flail his arms, striking Officer Vega and Bruzzese “about the body,” the complaint says.

The Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, the union that represents police officers, declined to comment on Monday night.

61 Comments

  • Mendell

    Give it up! The cops were just doing their job. They got a call, the guy resisted arrest, they used sufficent force to cuff him. End of Story.
    (Whoops, this will have to be censored; it doesn’t agree with the party line.)

  • Samuel A. Grajzman (Australia)

    Unbelievable, the guy was asleep
    He had permission to be there for the last month and
    did not hit anyone
    He was bashed and bashed without end by these police
    The woman officer was desperate to get her batton going to do harm, even though the guy, her target was clearly down.
    The bashing was so bad, I was screaming as I watched the video
    I couldnt watch, it was extremely distressing
    What is going on, in the’ BIG American Democracy’?
    Why didnt they have a chat and find out their facts before beating this poor guy to a pulp
    How sick are these do gooders? Is this the police pride
    If this wasnt on video who would have believed him.
    no way -no one!!!!
    Lucky he is not dead,how does any person live after such a beating? Is this the big apple and its hospitality at its best?
    Are these guys Americas heroes ?
    Where did you get them from?
    My suggestion is give them back now.
    They are bad,no good ,and disgusting animals, a job well done “men” in blue ,NOT!!!!!!
    This bashing needs to be publicised and these sadists need to be made an example of.

  • Ephraim Grushnit

    The beating Mr. Halevy took was obviously unwarranted. All charges against him should be dropped and against the two first officers charges should be brought: this is police brutality.

    And besides: 12 officers to arrest a sleeping Jew? What is this: Keystone cops?

  • To DA

    Mr DA
    Please explain to the residents of New York
    When will you arrest this two officers for False charges
    Not only in this case but every case this officers ever charged people with crimes they did not do ?
    I urge every criminal attorney who had to defend people from this officers to reopen the case.

  • Justifyable Force? NOT

    @1 Mendell, if Officer Vegas taking a ‘boxing stance’ in order to procure an arrest is considered justifiable force, then you sir have some issues that are far bigger then your lust for violence alone. I would say you are a sadist.

    If you pay close attention to the video, when the first ‘backup’ officer arrives on scene – the first thing he does is removed Mr. Halevy off the couch and into the middle of the room. That is proper procedure, so that the officers then have access to the person they are attempting to detains hands from all sides.

    Once Mr. Halevy was in middle of the room on the floor the confrontation effectively ended and he was walked out and into a waiting police car.

    There is never a situation where a police officer would need to raise his hand in a manner suggesting agression, no matter what the provocation was. A police officers job is just that – to do his job, by utilizing his skills he learns in training coupled with rational thinking.

    The moment Mr. Halevy refused to be cuffed the officers should have knocked him to the ground, not punch him in the face. Nowhere in police procedure guidelines does it say “when attempting to place a detainee in handcuffs, assume a boxing stance and throw and effective blow to the face”.

    Should Mr. Halevy have resisted arrest? No!

    Did that merit the beatdown that followed? Absolutely not!

  • JOE BLOW

    You people should stop complaining that the police did their jobs properly. They have EVERY right to use force to effect an arrest when the perp is not complying, like it was done here. The politicians don’t know anything about police work and are doing nothing but pandering to their “community”. Let’s see what they would have done in this situation. This is not TV or the movies folks!

  • To JOE BLOW

    Police have absolutely NO right to use UNNEEDED force.

    Was he attacking them? No.
    Did he have a weapon? No.

    Police are mandated by law to use the absolute minimum amount of force, especially when there is no danger involved.

  • ben b

    he should sue the nypd and win a lot of money!!!! then he will no longer b homeless.

  • larry

    to #9 if its that simple why is the city and the DA making a big deal out of if. and next time i hope it will be u or your kid

  • Alan Greinfeild

    I am sorry brothers but I don’t understand the fuss. We have more important issues to fuss about.

    This guy resisted arrest and he practically begged for this.

    The cops acted in a very normal manner. This is not called brutality at all.

  • Cop

    From a police perspective, the above commentor is right in saying that the officer should of got him off the couch and onto the floor. This allows you to have access to both arms and legs to control the person. Also, if you choose to use boxing to control your suspect you must realize he will automatically crunch up and human nature steps in to protect the head. After the first blow or two if you feel that there is no compliance, that is when you step up to pepper spray then taser. This is a lack of training and old school thinking.

  • Shmuel

    Resisted Arrest and Tresspass, so non lethal force was used to Subdue him. It would be standard procedure for the Officers to call for backup in a violent situation, and using a baton is part of the tools a Police Officer uses. When a Police Officer gives you a legal command you obey or get arrested. Threatening them or resisting them you bring upon yourself bad things.

    Seems the main problem was one of communication. Rabbi Feiglin says (Now, of course) that Halevi had permission to stay there. Yet Trappler who works there didn’t know that and called Police.

    Trappler obviously did not know of any arrangement between the Rabbi and Halevi(If one existed prior) and did the right thing when confronted with a half nude man in a youth facility.

  • SD

    Any person of the warped opinion that this was justified has some very serious mental issues to deal with, and I would advise that they seek counseling at once. This was a complete flagration of proper police procedure and guidelines which will be born out from the ensuing investigations.The viscious vehemence portrayed by these officers brings out a inherent character flaw evident in a MINORITY of law enforcement officials which we as residents of Crown Heights unfortunately witnessed during the 1991 riots. They are tactics that are comparable to the actions of the Nazi Gestapo,and it is obvious that the mental examination given to those applying for a position as a police officer are deficient. Had a video of this nature with a black person being the one being beaten been publicized, we would have been subject to the type of riots that took place after the Rodney King beating. Anyone of a different opinion should be commenting on the Failed Messiah website, and not here. This website is for rational and stable minded people. I would also advise any detractors to check thier parental lineage as these type of comments reveal a way of thinking of non-yiddeshe heritage. There is also still the question of which leaders or politicians were involved in a cover-up to keep this quiet until the video revelation broke the story, and now they suddenly changed thier tune.
    SD

  • ST

    I’m sure there is forum as to how to deal with this type of situation. The video will show it all so it can be evaluated and if there was something inappropriate, it will be dealt with. Very wise to have the cameras, and i’m sorry that this happened. This young man needed (needs) social services, why was that not dealt with. #12: this is the answer, not “sueing”. He needs some social service or psychological support/assistance.

  • Leah

    Why in the world did Zalman Trappler call the police when the guy was clearly sleeping and doing nothing wrong? Let’s call the police on him and see how he likes it!

  • Still angered

    Thanx for update. We are waiting for the two cops who not only attacked viciously an unarmed person without being provoked but behaved in a very unprofessional way, to be asked to compensate their victim for their false allegations and his suffering which the video proves, and to be struck off!
    We expect nothing less for the ones who promise to uphold the law which they swore to and did not do!

  • where is zalman?

    This whole thing started by a “volunteer” security guard who has made zero statements. Did he run away? Where is he? He has a whole lot of explaining to do!! Why did he call the police if this guy had been there for a month? Surely, if he’s a security guard, he’s seen him there before.

    Before we all scream police brutality (which this might be!) or blame the vicitim, as the yo-yo who started the whole thing!!!

  • Polytech

    What part of “put your hand behind you back” does he not understand ?

    Let me guess, the officers didn’t speak yiddish so it’s their fault

  • I hate Power Trippers

    The first step in response to any call is to INVESTIGATE. As it appears they found out after arriving that the man said he had permission to be there. That should immediately have prompted some notion of proper procedure that the guard would need to be questioned further along with contacting the owner or caretaker of the property to find out the facts. Just because the individual argues, it does not mean he is guilty of anything other than being pissed off the guard called 911 when he had been sleeping there for a month. This was a civil matter and if the officers are too incompetent and gun hoe to be able to figure that out then they need to be removed. And if not for that, then for filing false reports of assault. Yes that is a crime.

    Furthermore, why the hell didn’t the guard follow his post orders and call his supervisor before 911?? There’s another lawsuit right there. Security is the first line of common sense defense so this stuff doesn’t happen. If he had communicated and investigated properly he wouldn’t have called 911 which he likely didn’t have approval to do in the first place.

  • I hate Power Trippers

    Yest Polytech, it was their fault because they didn’t have a right to arrest him to begin with. They knew there was a conflict of information and didn’t bother investigating. The officers job is to first find out facts, not arrest people then find out the facts. Use your brain just a little.

  • hello

    whose pockets do you think this guys big money grab will come out of? OURS, be careful what you wish for~! the cops were wrong and should be punished, but he clearly resisted arrest, and thats a big no-no..

  • Dovid T.

    Zalmy Trappler clearly knew this was a yid and not some random hobo as he had a conversation with him. this whole situation is repulsive. He has some explaining to do.

  • If punitive action is not taken

    It’s going to be worse next time G-d forbid. ‘Modified duty’ for the one officer is a joke and probably IS considered a joke in the police station.

  • Zalmy Trappler

    To Mr. 21 “Where is Zalmy?”, I posted my response and it wasn`t posted. So if it isn`t posted again I will release it to the general press.
    On several occasions I have called 911 when “a guest” gets out of control. They were always professional. This kind of response was completely unforeseen.
    My orders by Rabbi Feiglin are to see that the place is clean and everyone leave before I close-up.
    This guy was lying naked in the shul with a Torah in the room.
    When I told him to leave he became verbally aggressive and wouldn`t listen when I told him to get dressed. That is on the full un-edited tape with the A.D.A.

  • B.R.

    No 1 MENDELL, GOOD ONE. Nice joke. I agree with you. If you or me get confronted by cops, no matter how silly it seems. GIVE UP. Let yourself be handcuffed. Go to the precinct. With good behaviour you will be out in one hour.

  • Sat

    Whoever called the police should have called shomrim but still the police had no right to respond that way

  • Disgusted

    First of all Mr Trappler is regretful that he called the police-see NY Post.
    To all those who believe the police were justified, you are merely trying to come up with excuses because you refuse to admit the police were UNPROFESSIONAL and kept beating him!!!I don’t lice in CH and I don’t know any of these people but from the video I wanted to scream “enough”!!!!The boy was not armed and was DOWN when the beating continued. If the Jewish man was wrong I would say so.But the beating went on and on!!!Open your eyes #1. What is wrong with you?

  • to Mr Trappler

    To Mr Zalmy Trappler #29

    I read your statements in the NY Post. Apparently you said you would not have called the police had you known this beating would have occurred. Is this correct?I understand he had no clothes and the Torah was there but I’ll bet any Rabbi of any shul would rather this than a man get beaten like that.I believe the Torah itself would have oreferred it.Anyone could’ve put a blanket on him.

  • Is it right?

    #19
    It seems mr Zalmy didn’t like him sleeping without clothing(he could’ve covered him)and was more worried about the shul than the human being. This is an ethical question I suppose.
    Does the Jewish person come first or the shul?
    I understand it’s a problem in front of the Torah but for heaven’s sake, what about the poor guy who was asleep and got hammered like that?
    Surely someone out there knows the Jewish perspective

  • Obvious Hate Crime!

    Right on 28! modified duty is a joke!! This was a hate crime the only reason he hit him was because he was Jewish I heard 26 blows?? unbelievable. its ironic in our community when the hate crimes are reversed we get penalized to the full extent of the law. yet when a police officer is the one wearing the badge and punching a Jew for no reason he is placed on modified duty. we have to act now and stand up for our rights!

  • Jewish dude

    Its that time of the year again. This could be a hate crime and needs to be investigated by the FBI not the NYPD.

  • gaggedsda

    i just don’t understand why a phone call from someone justifies any kind of arrest. why did the cops take the word of a random phone call over the gentleman sleeping? was there any other proof?

  • Beyond Disgusting

    Anyone, but anyone, who defends the barbaric, despicable behavior of the officers here is either a down and out sadist or works with or for the police dept.
    Anyone in their right mind can see that the officer in question has an anger management problem and that his side kick, with her baton,was eager to show she had some muscle.
    If I were in the NYPD, I would clean this up, and clean this up fast. This officer is another headline waiting to happen. It gives good officers a bad name and destroys the integrity of the police force.

  • -Uriel

    People, please,
    what does it matter if he’s jewish or not? what does it matter if he had permission to be there or not? look at the bare facts of the video:
    1. Mr. Halevi obviously acted out aggressively and non-compliantly towards the law officers and openly resisted arrest. This is a fact CLEARLY shown in the video.
    2. The law officers OBVIOUSLY used needless excessive force. There is no audio to let us hear what was said, but I am willing to put down a $100 bill that mr. Halevi cussed at them and taunted them. This is definitely NOT a justification for the use of force exhibited by the two police officers, no matter what profession mr. Halevi may have suggested their mothers work in.
    3. Mr. Halevy should have complied with the law officers even if he believed he had permission to be there. He should have accompanied the cops outside and contacted the person who let him be there.
    4. The law officers should definitely be disciplined in the strictest way – has EVERYBODY forgotten Rodney King?

  • Urile

    To 36 and everybody else shouting “hate crime”.
    Hi. I’m jewish. Do you REALLY think this is a hate crime? Perpetrated INSIDE a synagogue? SERIOUSLY?
    Man,the video is SO clear and obvious – the guy acted out obnoxiously and aggressively towards the cops and resisted arrest. The cops used by far more force than was merited to subdue the guy. I wouldn’t call it police brutality, the guy didn’t suffer any broken bones or required hospitalization, but it’s definitely excessive force and the cops should be harshly disciplined, if not suspended or worse.

    But I’ll tell you what this definitely is NOT: this is NOT a hate crime, this is NOT a display of antisemitism or racism of any kind. It’s an a**hole calling a cop names to his face and the cop responding aggressively like a bully.

    Please, stop crying “hate crime” about every little thing – you are just contributing to perpetuating the hate that leads to actual hate crimes.

    Shalom ve shana tova lekulam.

  • Websheigetz

    From watching this video alone (w/o sound), and as a chaddishe guy I totally support the cop who hit him. I think the main point is/was missed by eveyone: NO FEMALE COPS IN THIS POSITION!!!!!!!! A second man there, would likely have avoided the need for all those punches. I don’t see women’s groups clamoring for positions in the sanitation dept. wonder why? might it be for lack of power? PC is ruining this country AND hurting people

  • 40 and 41

    No YOU don’t get it.This man is asleep in a safe synogogue and thugs came in and wake him up.How about if you were asleep somewhere and awakened and then you have to be willing to allow them to arrest you WITHOUT CAUSE!!!!! This is the US and not some other country where this goes on.Do you understand that you should be arrested for A REASON and he hurt no one!!!!How about arresting a guy on a bench because someone calls and “he doesn’t belong there”.This was in a safe shul!!!!!The person who called the police didnt like this shirtless man lying in front of the Torah.He said so.See his statements. So stop with your BS

  • Simcha

    I am sorry i have seen hundreds of these videos. The cops did nothing wrong and there was no excessive force. The cops were trying to arrest a huge guy who happened to be Jewish but this idiot decided to resist arrest. Even if you are right don’t resist arrest. The cop in this situation was trying to do whatever possible to subdue him to make the arrest especially when there was no back up and he was with a woman cop. What if this this Halevi got the upper hand and got a gun???
    Anyways give the cops back their badges and fellow yidden don’t test the cops whether you like them or not. At the end of the day they are there to protect you.

  • Uriel

    Mr/Ms 43:
    I can not believe that you are comparing a bench in a public park to a shul in a synagogue. It does not matter that it was “s safe shul” and I don’t even know what you mean by that. Someone from the synagogue itself – and you can read his reply right here on the page – called the police and asked them to remove this person from the premises. This gives them in the very least the legal merit to remove him. In the very least he should have cooperated with the cops and definitely not act so aggressively towards them. He could have resisted peacefully and asked them to contact the person who had let him stay there.

    REGARDLESS of the above – this is NOT a hate crime. This was not an act of violence perpetrated by the police officers against mr. Halevy because of his ethnicity, race, sex, sexual orientation, or anything like that. The (excessive) violence exhibited by the cops was due to his own violent behavior – which the person who called the police in the first place corroborated. Stop shouting “hate crime” every second of every day.
    These cops should be PUNISHED and HARSHLY – but not because they committed a hate crime, but because they were excessively violent and abused their power. Period.

  • very upset

    Leave Trappler alone! he didn’t beat this guy , the pigs did! ye he called but He said he regrets it so move on, there’s always two sides of the story. Stop hating on Zalmy trappler, he was enough shame in his life.

  • dont be so naive its a hate crime

    To Mr Uriel,
    It seems that when someone mentions hate crime it hits a raw nerve. your position is that you are very defensive that this is 100 percent not a hate crime. the truth is these officers walked into a shul and a Jew resisted arrest . Therefore they used extreme, extreme brutality against him. can you explain why they would use such brutality. it wasn’t because he was fighting viciously back at them. even while the man lay there motionless they continue to beat on him. WHY? why continue to beat on a helpless person? the only reason I can think is because the officer had another issue with him. and yes don’t be so naive its because he is Jewish. you know in Nazi Germany the Jews were naive too… and to top it all off the officer was out to get him. first he beat him for no reason even when he was down. and then he made up a list of false accusations against him stating that the fight was so intense his wrist was sprained. unless the NYPD does this with everyone across the board, this is hate crime and we should NOT tolerate it in our community!

  • David

    One is expected to submit to lawful authority. One does so because one has faith and trust in lawful authority to act properly.

    When lawful authority acts as seen here, how can one have faith in it? If one believes he has committed no crime, how can he trust that the truth will be seen and acknowledged by lawful authority when this is the response?

    What will happen to those who do not resist the unlawful use of lawful authority? Especially when there aren’t cameras around?

  • #46

    #46
    I am #43 and yes it is Ms. My point was to give a random example.He was safe in a shul that he was permitted to stay.The person who called the police was due to his shirtless self.He states that himself as to the motive for calling. First of all even if the boy resisted and he barely does(I watched the video several times)there was no reason for that brutality.I DID NOT say anything about anti-semitism at all.I am addressing the EXCESSIVE use of force on someone who was asleep!!!!I did not delve into the motives- could be a power trip and who knows-my point is that it was brutality!!!!Period

  • #57

    THE MAIN POINT IS THE GUY SLEEPING AT THE CENTER RESISTED ARREST WHEN THE OFFICER WAS GOING TO HANDCUFF HIM, ALL THEY WERE DOING WAS CUFFING HIM HE DIDNT HAVE TO REACT IN SUCH A AGGRESSIVE MANNER, IF HE DIDNT ACT SO AGGRESIVLY MAYBE THINGS WOULDNT HAVE TURNED OUT AS THEY DID, THE ONLY REASON THE POLICE HAD TO HIT HIM WAS BECAUSE HE WAS RESISTING AS YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE IN THE VIDEO.

  • David Rothstein

    Someone called 911 and asked the police to remove a man who was supposedly trespassing on private property. When the police get there, the man claims he had permission to be there.

    according to the article:

    “The call was made by Trappler Zalman, a center volunteer, who performs security checks in the building. Mr. Zalman told the officers that he found Mr. Halevy “sleeping naked” on a couch inside the lounge. Mr. Zalman ordered him to get dressed and leave, telling him he did not have permission to be there. Mr. Halevy refused and argued that he had a right to be there, the complaint states.”
    If Halevy told the police that he had permission to be there,
    it is the job of the responding officer to verify by picking up his radio and asking central for a callback number. If there is no callback number, then the call obviously was not that important and the police have the right and in my opinion the duty, to walk away as the call cannot be verified and the man has a valid story. if the caller did leave a callback number, then they are supposed to talk to the person who made the 911 call and make sure that

    a) they got the right person and

    b) the complaint is valid by communicating with the site manager or owner the only two people who could actually verify the man’s story.

    They did not do this. If they had, they would have spoken with the Rabbi and they would have known that the call was bogus. How do I know this? Because according to the article:

    “In fact, Rabbi Feiglin said in a telephone interview on Monday, Mr. Halevy had permission to stay overnight at the center. He needed “a place to crash for a short period,” the rabbi said. Rabbi Feiglin added that it was unclear what had prompted Mr. Zalman to call the police, since Mr. Halevy had been sleeping in the lounge for about a month.

    “We don’t know exactly why he called the police,” Rabbi Feiglin said, noting that the video does not include audio.”

    Perhaps Mr Zalman has a personal issue with Mr Halevy. If Mr Zalman were actually doing his job, then he would have known whether or not a man who was sleeping there for a month actually had permission to be there. Based on currently available information, it seems abundantly clear that Mr Zalman knew all along that Halevy had a right to be there and he decided to create a situation in order to get revenge on Mr Halevy for some reason. If Mr Zalman had not known about Mr Halevy’s presence at the center for A MONTH, then how could he possibly have been fulfilling his volunteer duties as night security? The two men must have to have a history and this must be a personal dispute.

    if that is the case, then I am of the opinion that Mr. Zalman should be brought up on charges on filing a false police report and endangering the lives of that young man and the officers involved. He should probably be charged with assault along with the cop who beat the guy. As for the officer who beat the man repeatedly instead of verifying the call, he should at the very least be put on extended suspension without pay and mandatory therapy including but not limited to anger management. However, I think all of us would be better off if he were simply fired and charged with assault and wrongful imprisonment.

    The female officer should be put on suspension and have her record reviewed for similar incidents. if there is a significant pattern, then she should be disciplined heavily. If this is not part of a recurring pattern, she should receive the standard union approved punishment and be instructed or should I say reminded that it is both wrong and illegal to just go along with her partner for fear of reprisal if she doesn’t cover her rogue partner’s back.

    This thing with the police acting like sociopathic zookeepers needs to stop. Something’s gotta give. Obviously, the college and military requirements are not working as the caliber of police officer from the foot soldiers on the street to the white shirts sitting in the precincts has diminished to the point where they are as bad as the criminals they are supposed to protect us from.

    What else can be done?

    I hope Mr Halevy decides to sue Mr Zalman, the officer who beat him as well as the city of new york and the insurance company who covers the NYPD and I hope he lives a very wealthy comfortable life afterwards. Wash, rise repeat every single time this sort of thing happens until the the State of New York, the City of New York, the mayor, the police commissioner and the police get the point that their job is to be the protectors, not the abusers. There needs to be accountability and it needs to be sought out aggressively via the media and the court system.

  • David Rothstein

    Someone called 911 and asked the police to remove a man who was supposedly trespassing on private property. When the police get there, the man claims he had permission to be there.

    according to the article:

    “The call was made by Trappler Zalman, a center volunteer, who performs security checks in the building. Mr. Zalman told the officers that he found Mr. Halevy “sleeping naked” on a couch inside the lounge. Mr. Zalman ordered him to get dressed and leave, telling him he did not have permission to be there. Mr. Halevy refused and argued that he had a right to be there, the complaint states.”
    If Halevy told the police that he had permission to be there,
    it is the job of the responding officer to verify by picking up his radio and asking central for a callback number. If there is no callback number, then the call obviously was not that important and the police have the right and in my opinion the duty, to walk away as the call cannot be verified and the man has a valid story. if the caller did leave a callback number, then they are supposed to talk to the person who made the 911 call and make sure that

    a) they got the right person and

    b) the complaint is valid by communicating with the site manager or owner the only two people who could actually verify the man’s story.

    They did not do this. If they had, they would have spoken with the Rabbi and they would have known that the call was bogus. How do I know this? Because according to the article:

    “In fact, Rabbi Feiglin said in a telephone interview on Monday, Mr. Halevy had permission to stay overnight at the center. He needed “a place to crash for a short period,” the rabbi said. Rabbi Feiglin added that it was unclear what had prompted Mr. Zalman to call the police, since Mr. Halevy had been sleeping in the lounge for about a month.

    “We don’t know exactly why he called the police,” Rabbi Feiglin said, noting that the video does not include audio.”

    Perhaps Mr Zalman has a personal issue with Mr Halevy. If Mr Zalman were actually doing his job, then he would have known whether or not a man who was sleeping there for a month actually had permission to be there. Based on currently available information, it seems abundantly clear that Mr Zalman knew all along that Halevy had a right to be there and he decided to create a situation in order to get revenge on Mr Halevy for some reason. If Mr Zalman had not known about Mr Halevy’s presence at the center for A MONTH, then how could he possibly have been fulfilling his volunteer duties as night security? The two men must have to have a history and this must be a personal dispute.

    if that is the case, then I am of the opinion that Mr. Zalman should be brought up on charges on filing a false police report and endangering the lives of that young man and the officers involved. He should probably be charged with assault along with the cop who beat the guy. As for the officer who beat the man repeatedly instead of verifying the call, he should at the very least be put on extended suspension without pay and mandatory therapy including but not limited to anger management. However, I think all of us would be better off if he were simply fired and charged with assault and wrongful imprisonment.

    The female officer should be put on suspension and have her record reviewed for similar incidents. if there is a significant pattern, then she should be disciplined heavily. If this is not part of a recurring pattern, she should receive the standard union approved punishment and be instructed or should I say reminded that it is both wrong and illegal to just go along with her partner for fear of reprisal if she doesn’t cover her rogue partner’s back.

    This thing with the police acting like sociopathic zookeepers needs to stop. Something’s gotta give. Obviously, the college and military requirements are not working as the caliber of police officer from the foot soldiers on the street to the white shirts sitting in the precincts has diminished to the point where they are as bad as the criminals they are supposed to protect us from.

    What else can be done?

    I hope Mr Halevy decides to sue Mr Zalman, the officer who beat him as well as the city of new york and the insurance company who covers the NYPD and I hope he lives a very wealthy comfortable life afterwards. Wash, rise repeat every single time this sort of thing happens until the the State of New York, the City of New York, the mayor, the police commissioner and the police get the point that their job is to be the protectors, not the abusers. There needs to be accountability and it needs to be sought out aggressively via the media and the court system.

  • GENTILE FROM CROWN HEIGHTS

    Lmaooooooo this is “unbelievable” and a “hate crime”? This happens to “ Gentiles” all the time. Nobody speaks up for the Gentile that was just shot and KILLED by police. Nobody speaks up for the “Gentiles” that get stopped,frisked,harassed and bullied the time you take the time to speak up because he is Jewish speak up because the nypd is mistreating and killing us one by one and as you can see race,color and religion is not a care nor factor for them.

  • a yid

    Why is he forced use a Legal Aid Society lawyer?
    Where the Crown Heights Jewsh Community on this?

    Get him a lawyer..

  • Who will be the unlucky next...You?

    If it happened once it will happen again
    Now who will be the unlucky next…You? your wife? your child?
    This needs to be handled carefully because soon (CV)
    when it it gets you you’ll need it too.

  • FireDoc

    I presume the Officers did not have Tasers. And the Suspect did resist being handcuffed. And assaulted the Officer first, I feel was reasonable amount of force to subdue the Suspect. However, I count eventually 12 Officers. Why so long for back-up. And I can see some Officers need to lose some weight, I doubt Bullet-Resistant vests add 50lbs, the camera another 10lbs. Good thing this incident was not outside and a Foot Pursuit ensued.

  • Isabelle Martinez

    Some people r just plain stupid that guy was asleep… if I was that guy I would’ve hIt them back and press charges your only defending yourself from two cops trying to act tough especially that female. No matter what they did him dirty. Not right at all.

  • CM

    The person squared up at the officers and was not compliant as the video shows. The officers had to protect themselves. Next time maybe he will think twice and put his hands behind his back when told.