{"active":false,"first_name":"Richard","last_name":"Velez","race":"Hispanic","gender":"Male","rank":"PO","command":{"command":"PSA 1 VIPER","assignment_date":"2020-10-28","id":"877"},"shield_no":22734,"ended_date":"2022-07-06","taxid":"953525","complaint_ids":[202005871,201806778,201604126,201503659,201502288,201306285],"command_history":[{"command":"PBBS","id":"PBBS"},{"command":"123 PCT","id":"123pct"},{"command":"122 PCT","id":"122pct"}],"appt_date":"2012-07-11","middle_initial":"J","lawsuits":[{"name":"Hoover, Trevor, et al. vs City of Ny","start_date":"2021-09-09","disposition_date":"2022-12-02","payout_amount":280000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"21CV04783","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","summary":"On May 28, 2020, each Plaintiff was present at a protest in Kings County, New York in support of Black Lives Matter. Members of the NYPD began pushing protestors. Plaintiff Hoover was struck in the ribs with a baton, thrown to the ground, and handcuffed with excessively tight handcuffs. Plaintiff Walsh was thrown to the ground, had his head pushed into the ground, and had multiple officers kneel on his back while applying handcuffs. The officers fractured Plaintiff Walsh’s ankle and left a hole in Plaintiff Walsh’s face. The officers forced Plaintiff Walsh to walk to the precinct on his broken ankle. The officers took Plaintiff’s keys and never returned them. Plaintiff LaFauci was struck by an NYPD officer with a baton on his hands multiple times, breaking his left hand. Officers denied Plaintiff LaFauci medical attention. All three Plaintiffs were arrested and served with a desk appearance ticket, but the DA declined to prosecute.","documents":[{"url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.468633/gov.uscourts.nyed.468633.28.0.pdf","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/60289097/hoover-v-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Gjenashaj, Lori V. City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2019-05-09","disposition_date":"2022-03-01","payout_amount":0,"disposition":"Zero Disposition","docket":"19CV04142","court":"U.S. District Court - Southern District NY","officer_name":"Velez, Richard J.","summary":"On March 25, 2018, plaintiff was in her vehicle at a complete stop when she was surrounded by police vehicles and heavily armed officers. She had previously committed an admitted crime and was fleeing the police. There were no onlookers or civilians around. Plaintiff exited her vehicle with nothing in her hand, having left her toy gun in the car. Without warning, numerous officers fired an unknown number of shots, striking plaintiff in the shoulder and hitting her vehicle multiple times. The officers then arrested her. Plaintiff's husband was in the passenger seat of the car and was forcibly taken from the vehicle and taken to the police station and interrogated while handcuffed for seven hours. He was dismissed without charges. He had been cooperative and posed no risk. He was seen by officers attempting to calm his wife and help locate her when she was fleeing. \n\nThe officers named in the complaint are Lt. Matthew Harrison, Ofc. Wight, Ofc. Richard Velez, Ofc. Giancarlo Matatea, Ofc. Thomas Gugliucci, Ofc. Raychel Campanella-Rivera, Ofc. Vanesa Medina, and Ofc. Brunila Santana.","documents":[{"url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.515176/gov.uscourts.nysd.515176.54.0.pdf","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/15074393/gjenashaj-v-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Smith, Giovanni vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2014-06-06","disposition_date":"2014-12-30","payout_amount":10000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"14CV03181","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Velez, Richard","summary":"On February 5, 2014, Plaintiff had just finished walking his seven year old son to school when an unknown individual ran up to Plaintiff and, without provocation, shot Plaintiff in the lower leg. The perpetrator then ran away. NYPD officers, including Detective Jerome, responded to the location. Instead of pursuing the perpetrator, Detective Jerome handcuffed the Plaintiff while the Plaintiff was in the ambulance, then accompanied Plaintiff to the hospital where officer Jerome proceeded to handcuff Plaintiff to his hospital bed by the arm, and shackled Plaintiffs legs, even though the Plaintiff had been shot in the leg. Plaintiff was handcuffed/shackled for more than four hours. Plaintiff had not been accused of committing any crime.  \n\nOn August 30, 2013, PO Velez and two other NYPD officers approached Plaintiff while he was outside speaking with his friends. PO Velez stated in sum and substance \"you have a warrant\". PO Velez proceeded to search Plaintiff then handcuffed him and transported him to the precinct where PO Velez subjected Plaintiff without cause or provocation to a partial strip search. PO Velez then issued Plaintiff a summons for littering despite the fact that Plaintiff did not litter during the time Plaintiff was in the presence of PO Velez. Upon information and belief, Plaintiff did not have a warrant. The littering summons was dismissed on November 27, 2013. \n\nOn May 27, 2011, Plaintiff was speaking with a couple of friends when he was approached by PO Davis and Lieutenant Jane Doe. Lieutenant Jane Doe instructed one of the other officers to search a backpack that was next to one of Plaintiff’s friends, who allegedly fit the description of a person the police was looking for. After searching the bag, all three, including Plaintiff, was asked to show ID. When Plaintiff asked why, Lieutenant Jane Doe stated in sum and substance “You want to be an ass wipe. You want to get arrested and go through the system while it's hot out.\" Subsequently, Plaintiff was handcuffed, arrested, and brought to the precinct where he was searched by PO Davis and other officers. He was given summons for disorderly conduct and spitting. The summonses were later dismissed and sealed.","documents":[{"url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.356658/gov.uscourts.nyed.356658.1.0.pdf","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/13139254/smith-v-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Jeffrey, Monte vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2014-02-05","disposition_date":"2015-06-18","payout_amount":25000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"14CV00613","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Velez, Richard","summary":"On or about September 28, 2013, Plaintiff was standing in the street talking to his child’s mother when he was approached by several police officers, including PO Richard Velez and Sergeant FNU Figueroa. The officers assaulted Plaintiff, and arrested him with excessive force, including by punching him in the face and on his body. Plaintiff was handcuffed and brought to the precinct for approximately 8 hours. At arraignment, he was subject to several false charges that all lacked legal bases, and was then released on his own recognizance. At the time Plaintiff’s complaint was filed, all charges against him were either still pending, dismissed, or otherwise adjudicated.","documents":[{"url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.351818/gov.uscourts.nyed.351818.1.0.pdf","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/13138812/jeffrey-v-city-of-new-york/"}],"discipline":[{"disposition_date":"2016-07-07","case_no":"2016-15944","penalty":"Vacation days (30 days)","charges":[{"desc":"While on-duty, wrongfully signed a criminal court complaint and supporting documentation in which he claimed to have observed one or more events which he did not observe.","disposition":"Guilty"},{"desc":"While on-duty, made inaccurate and incomplete activity log entries.","disposition":"Guilty"},{"desc":"While on-duty, did make inaccurate entries in arrest paperwork.","disposition":"Guilty"}]}],"documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20528124-841","findings":["Intentionally Making a False Official Statement"],"type":"brady-giglio","date":"2005-07-10T00:00:00.000Z"}],"image":"https://www.50-a.org/images/officer/J33H-richard-velez.jpg","id":"J33H","url":"https://www.50-a.org/officer/J33H"}