NYPD watchdog says 145 officers should be punished for misconduct during 2020 BLM protests

New York City’s Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) has concluded after a review of about 750 complaints lodged against NYPD officers during the racial justice protests of 2020, that 145 of the officers named in the complaints should be punished for misconduct.

“The CCRB has seen unprecedented challenges in investigating these complaints particularly around the identification of officers due to the failure to follow proper protocols, officers covering their names and shield, officers wearing protective equipment that did not belong to them, the lack of proper use of body worn cameras, as well as incomplete and severely delayed paperwork,” said the board.

After reviewing a total of 267 substantiated allegations against the 145 NYPD officers, the board has finalized 44 cases so far, and disciplined 44 officers in connection with the misconduct allegations during the protests of summer 2020. The protests were sparked by the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, and spread nationwide. 

For the most severe cases of misconduct, officers may face administrative trial, the loss of vacation days, suspension, or termination. In some of the cases that have been finalized already, CCRB recommended the highest level of punishment for the officers involved.

“Out of the 321 cases, the CCRB conducted full investigations for 223 cases and substantiated misconduct in 87 cases,” said CCRB Interim-Chair Arva Rice at a recent board meeting. “The CCRB has recommended misconduct against 143 members of service, 88 of whom have been recommended the highest level of discipline.”

Former Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said in 2020, “I think the officers did a phenomenal job under extremely difficult circumstances. We were as ready as anyone is ready. And we’ll learn from it, and move forward.”