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Bochurim Taking Legal Action Against the NYPD

On October 24th three bochurim were stopped by the police and received criminal court summonses for ‘obstructing pedestrian traffic’ on Carroll and Kingston. The victims contacted a civil rights lawyer who is looking into bringing a lawsuit against the police for their actions, and they are seeking other similar victims.

Dear residents of Crown Heights:

After being victimized by the NYPD in the incident of October 24th in Crown Heights, we have decided to take steps to prevent further similar situations from occurring. Citizens should never be, nor ever fear to be, harassed or to have to spend their time and money on disputing frivolous or fictitious tickets. It is time to stand up for ourselves.

We live in a democracy, where the power rests with the people. Government and public servants, such as the police, are here to serve us and protect us, not prey on us. Unfortunately, they sometimes forget that there are limits to their privileges, specifically unwarranted searches, detainment and tickets. As I am now learning, this forgetfulness often occurs when quotas need to be met and when budgets are tight.

So why not get the charges dismissed and let it fade away? As Benjamin Franklin famously said; “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety”. Each citizen that is a victim of a frivolous ticket to make a quota and doesn’t stand up gives up a bit of their freedom. It is our responsibility to do what’s right for our community, city and country even when inconvenient. Enough people in this city have given up enough freedom where it is time to take a stand and tell the NYPD: enough! Focus on fighting crime and stop preying on innocent citizens.

We have set up an email address to compile as many stories and incidents as we can. We prefer that it is something relevant and happened in this past year, and every incident will remain confidential until the attorney who is assisting us can discuss the incident with you. With enough documented incidents, we will be able to force some level of accountability from NYPD brass and make a credible complaint. Remember: they work for us, not the other way around.

We will be holding a meeting on this Thursday, December 9th with the lawyer. Please e-mail us at nypd.abuse@gmail.com if you feel you have been targeted and have received a false charge or arrest. Please be sure to include the details of the incident, your name and number. Please notify your family and friends to e-mail us if they have a case as well. We will reply to your e-mail with the details of the meeting, where it will be held, and what time it will take place.

We will also discuss the fact that it was not at all helpful that the Executive Director of the community council sided with the police.

EVERY SUBMISSION WILL STAY CONFIDENTIAL.

If need be, we can give you a document assuring your of confidentiality from the attorney who is assisting us.

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16 Comments

  • Chris Tiller - FCSD ERT

    New York City area cops are corrupt especially the crown heughts precient. there has been word that some of their commanding officers are anti-semetic against jews.

  • GOOD FOR YOU!!

    Good! May Hashem be on your side as only Hashem has the ultimate Power of deciding if innocence will prevail or the lowly precinct!

  • New chief, as many times as it takes

    B”H

    I am of the opinion that it was not a waste of time that the community pushed to get rid of Vega. I feel the community needs to similarly push to get rid of Simonetti, who I think was chosen for assignment to the 71st, out of some kind of spite factor against those who pushed to get rid of Vega. This was hinted at the time Simonetti was appointed to succeed Vega.

    Unfortunately, we Crown Heights Jews must push however many times it takes, to get rid of this succession of thugs-in-charge at the 71st, until the city finally realizes that the Jews of Crown Heights ain’t just goin’ away with our tails between our legs, so to speak.

    This is probably what Boro Park and Williamsburgh had to do, in order to improve their communities’ situation vis-a-vis the NYPD. We have to do it, too, however many times it takes.

    I also think the good family-type non-Jews of the neighborhood (and there are MANY — the church-goers who are trying to live a decent life!) would also welcome such change. As bad as the 71st has been to the Jews here, they’re generally even worse to the blacks.

  • Chani

    bs’d

    I am proud of you, you are doing a service to all of us! Aibishter bless you, and give you strength!

  • Chubby

    How about we cross the street like civilized human beings and not make it necessary for the police to spend their time taking us to task for minor infractions?

    I’d rather have them chasing crackheads, rapists and murderers. How about becoming part of the solution instead of part of the problem?

    Crazy thoughts I have.

  • respect our religion

    Chubby, its quite obvious that you are law enforcement, or related to law enforcement. Allow me to highlight the root of the issue with all you stinkin cops:

    You say: “How about we cross the street like civilized human beings and not make it necessary for the police to spend their time taking us to task for minor infractions?”

    If the minor infractions are what is impending on your chasing rapists and murderers… Well, therein lays the problem.

    ’nuff said.

    Now let me wipe those doughnut crumbs out my mustache.

  • Donut

    The police are constantly harrassing us happened to me last week. I offered the officer a Donut and he gave me a ticket for panhandling. The officer said, u cant ask other people for money. I said no, I am offering u a donut, he gave me the ticket anyway.
    They have some nerve thinking that we as apeople would take anything for free. We work so hard trying to get freebies that we feel entitled to everything.

  • Dovid

    How about a campaign to stop Chabad Lubavitchers from victimizing each other by using false accusation law suits in the secular courts??!! Where is the outrage for the harm “we” are causing each other?

  • Tired

    Why don’t you people just follow the same laws as the rest of society without causing a problem?

  • Milhouse

    #13, I assume you’re talking about cops, who as a class are among the most lawless people in the country. They think the laws don’t apply to them, and they can do whatever they want. Laws are for the little people. And when they find themselves testifying in court, they have no hesitation in perjuring themselves; an oath means nothing to them.

  • awacs

    Milhouse, you misread #13 – (s)he means “Why can’t the Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn behave, just like the nice, white people in Middle America?”

    The answer is: we *do*, more or less, given the demands imposed on us by an urban environment.

    #13: Three nice young men were standing, behaving themselves, two in the court of and an apartment building, and one on the sidewalk immediately adjoining, when New York’s ‘Finest’ swooped in and, with no warning or order to move, issued summonses.

    Just because.

    And that’s the whole story, really.

  • awacs

    “And that’s the whole story, really.”

    I changed my mind: the rest of the story, important for an outsider to understand, is that NOBODY is (really) surprised. Not the cops, not the detainees, not the press nor the community ‘leaders’.

    If this would happen in Kansas, it would be front page news for DAYS. Here? Yawn.