{"active":false,"first_name":"Steve","last_name":"Lafortune","race":"Black","gender":"Male","rank":"DT3","command":{"command":"DBSI","assignment_date":"2019-08-03","id":"542"},"shield_no":2570,"ended_date":"2022-03-01","taxid":"928609","complaint_ids":[201801684,201601489,201601585,201501960,201404272,201013036,201009017,201009163,200307470],"command_history":[{"command":"094 PCT","id":"94pct"},{"command":"NARCBBN","id":"92"},{"command":"077 DET","id":"77det"}],"appt_date":"2001-07-02","age":47,"middle_initial":"P","shield_no_history":[14810],"lawsuits":[{"name":"Vera, Oscar vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2017-05-31","payout_amount":0,"disposition":"","docket":"509490/2017","court":"Supreme Court - Kings","officer_name":"Lafortune, Steve P.","summary":"\"On March 8, 2016, plaintiff Oscar Vera and a passenger were in plaintiff's vehicle with defendant Sergeant Sean Honstetter standing at the driver side window with his service weapon drawn and defendant Detective Jon Gladstone standing at the passenger window, leaning in and pointing his service weapon at plaintiff. At that time and on the instruction of defendant Detective Julio Micheli, defendant Lieutenant Luis Arocho rammed his police vehicle into the back of plaintiff's vehicle, causing plaintiff's passenger to push defendant Gladstone's arm forward. Defendants Honstetter fired weapon, striking both plaintiff and defendant Gladstone. Defendant Gladstone also fired his weapon. As a result, plaintiff suffered three bullet wounds, one in the left wrist and two in the left leg. Because defendants were not displaying their police badges, plaintiff exclaimed that he had been shot and asked someone to call the police, not realizing defendants were police officers.\nDefendants Honstetter and Detective Steven LaFortune then pulled plaintiff from the vehicle and threw him to the ground and hit him with their pistols, even after plaintiff was handcuffed. Plaintiff was then placed in an ambulance and took him to the hospital. \nDefendant Detective Adam Wright signed a criminal complaint accusing plaintiff of narcotics offenses, aggravated assault upon a police officer and reckless endangerment, and a grand jury indicted plaintiff.","documents":[{"url":"https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=lscK8s5dGIe1Q8_PLUS_5otzFvA==","type":"complaint"}]},{"name":"Ortiz, Matthew vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2017-03-16","disposition_date":"2018-02-15","payout_amount":20000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"17CV01386","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Lafortune, Steve P.","summary":"The plaintiff exited a bodega when the officers approached and arrested the plaintiff. He was charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree. At no point did the defendants recover any contraband nor did the plaintiff commit any offense in the presence of the defendants. The plaintiff had to go to the hospital for an asthma attack that occurred during the arrest. All charges were dismissed.","documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23593707-2018_ortiz_17cv01386","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/7051712/ortiz-v-the-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Pendley, Javier, et al. vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2016-08-15","disposition_date":"2017-03-06","payout_amount":15000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"16CV04316","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Lafortune, Steve P.","summary":"Plaintiff answered the door and saw Defendant Officer Rahman standing outside, who punched him in the face, forcibly entered the apartment, and searched it. Plaintiff was arrested and charged with  Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Criminal Possession of Marihuana in the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Degree and Unlawful Possession of Marihuana, which were later dismissed after a judge discredited Det. Rahman's explanation for why he entered the apartment.","documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4923165-Pendley-et-al-v-The-City-Of-New-York-et-al"},{"url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.389449.9.0.pdf","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4325652/pendley-v-the-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Mcgee, Daniel vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2016-04-21","payout_amount":0,"disposition":"","docket":"515656/2015","court":"Supreme Court - Kings","officer_name":"Lafortune, Steve P.","summary":"On or about December 27, 2012, Plaintiff visited the 3 floor single family home of Plaintiff's deceased father's girlfriend (Thomas) who Plaintiff knew well, which is located at 244 Saint Marks Avenue in Brooklyn. Plaintiff ran errands for Thomas and visited her. While at her house, Plaintiff fell asleep on the couch and was woken at 11 am when Defendant, NYPD officer woke him up by forcefully pulling him off the couch. Plaintiff was handcuffed, unlawfully seized, frisked and searched and put under arrest without probable cause. The tenants in Thomas's home were targets of a police investigation into the sale of controlled substances from that location. Defendant Police officers broke down Thomas's front door while executing a search warrant at the location which related to Thomas's tenants on different floors. Plaintiff told officers that he just was visiting and he showed them his home address. Defendants falsely arrested Plaintiff without probable cause and also arrested 7 other people in the home. Defendants took Plaintiff to the 77th precinct where he was strip searched. Plaintiff was then taken to Kings County Central Booking.  Plaintiff was arraigned in Kings County Criminal Court on December 28, 2012 at approximately 8:30 pm where a criminal prosecution was initiated against him by defendant police officers without probable cause after defendants gave false and fabricated evidence and information to the Kings County District Attorney's Office and in the accusatory instrument.","documents":[{"url":"https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=QAZRMxB94/OWJ8A3vbvsuw==","type":"complaint"}]},{"name":"Poag, William, et al. vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2014-04-11","disposition_date":"2015-03-19","payout_amount":28000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"005361/2014","court":"Supreme Court - Kings","officer_name":"Lafortune, Steve P."},{"name":"Sapp, Shanicque vs P.O. Lafortune, Steve, et al.","start_date":"2014-03-24","disposition_date":"2014-12-05","payout_amount":7500,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"14CV00923","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Lafortune, Steve P.","summary":"On July 19, 2013, at approximately 6:00 a.m., several NYPD officers, including defendant officer Steve LaFortune, used a battering ram to forcibly enter plaintiff's Brooklyn apartment, where she, her twelve-year-old daughter, and Mr. Dorn Henderson had been sleeping.  The officers entered with their guns drawn, and at gunpoint, ordered all three of them to the ground and handcuffed them tightly, which caused plaintiff to suffer pain and bruising marks that lasted for several days.  The officers conducted an extensive search of the apartment and found only a personal use amount of marijuana.  Plaintiff was arrested and charged with non-criminal possession of marijuana, and was released from custody following an application to adjourn the case in contemplation of dismissal.","documents":[{"url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.352742/gov.uscourts.nyed.352742.1.0.pdf","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/13138864/sapp-v-lafortune/"},{"name":"Walkin, Alan vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2014-03-07","disposition_date":"2014-09-09","payout_amount":25000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"14CV01424","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Lafortune, Steve P.","summary":"Defendant officers broke into and invaded the home of Plaintiffs and arrested them, brought them to the 77th precinct, and charged them with crim possession of stolen property, which the DA declined to prosecute.","documents":[{"url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.353231/gov.uscourts.nyed.353231.11.0.pdf","type":"complaint"},{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4920085-Walkin-et-al-v-City-of-New-York-et-al"},{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4920086-Walkin-et-al-v-City-of-New-York-et-al"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4323198/walkin-v-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Robinson, Remo, et al. vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2014-02-06","disposition_date":"2014-06-05","payout_amount":24000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"14CV00751","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Lafortune, Steve P.","summary":"On or about December 27, 2013, Plaintiffs were asleep in their residence when they heard the front door being broken open. Detective Steve Lafortune, PO Qassim Ahmed, Sergeant Sean Mitchel, Sergeant Robert Maloney and POs John Doe 1 1-15  forcibly entered into the residence, and immediately placed all of the occupants, including the Plaintiffs, in handcuffs. The officers claimed that they had entered the way they did pursuant to a search warrant that had been issued by a judge, but failed and/or refused to show or display a search warrant. If indeed true that the officers had obtained a search warrant, such a warrant was only obtained by misleading and misinforming the judge. The officers searched the premises, and nothing illegal was recovered. The officers claimed that they had recovered a \"scale\" and empty \"baggies\", but that was not true. Plaintiffs were taken out in handcuffs and brought to the precinct where they were imprisoned for several hours. \n\nThe Plaintiffs were released with desk appearance tickets that mandated that they report to court to defend themselves against criminal charges of \"Criminally using Drug Paraphernalia”. When reporting to court, Plaintiffs were informed that the court was not in possession of paperwork pertinent to their matters. On March 12, 2014, Plaintiffs were told by the court to return home, and call the court after thirty days if they did not receive any paperwork from the court within that time. As far as the plaintiffs were aware at the time they filed their complaint, the criminal actions against them were pending.","documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4923369-Robinson-et-al-v-City-of-New-York-et-al"},{"url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.352136/gov.uscourts.nyed.352136.8.0.pdf","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/13050717/robinson-v-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Blackett, Jasper vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2014-01-02","disposition_date":"2014-12-30","payout_amount":70000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"13CV07219","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Lafortune, Steve P.","summary":"On September 26, 2012, NYPD Officers Steve LaFortune, Dennis Friendly, Jennifer LaVelle and Detective Gabriel Nacelewicz entered Plaintiff's residence. When Plaintiff protested by letting them know they were not permitted, one of the officers pushed him in the chest, then the officers punched Plaintiff in the face and proceeded to take him to the ground and handcuff him. The police officers searched the Plaintiff and his home without a warrant or exigent circumstances, but did not find any illegal substances or weapons. Nevertheless, Plaintiff was arrested and transferred to a precinct without cause. He was then transported to Brookdale Hospital for medical treatment for his injuries from the officers' punch. He was diagnosed with a laceration to his upper and lower lip,  and received more than fifteen stitches. The next day, Plaintiff was taken to Brooklyn Criminal Court where he was falsely charged with misdemeanor possession or narcotics and resisting arrest. He was released without bail, and after several court appearances, all of Plaintiff's charges were dismissed and sealed.","documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4923370-Blackett-v-City-of-New-York-et-al"},{"url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.350551.11.0.pdf","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4670718/blackett-v-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Davis, John vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2013-11-26","payout_amount":0,"disposition":"","docket":"13CV06260","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Lafortune, Steve P.","summary":"On February 3, 2011, sixty-nine-year old Plaintiff entered a convenience store in Brooklyn to purchase a lottery ticket. While he was waiting in line to pay, he was approached by defendant P.O.s William Sommer, Steve LaFortune, Edwards and Dilapi, ordered to the back of the store and, without reasonable suspicion or probable cause, was detained and searched. When defendant P.O.s found USD 4,000 in his pocket, they accused Plaintiff of being a drug dealer. The Plaintiff was neither arrested nor charged with any crime. The defendant P.O. subsequently left the scene without returning approximately USD 1,327 they had taken from the Plaintiff, stating \"you're lucky you're getting any of it back and that you're not getting arrested\". Plaintiff has filed a complaint with the NYPD that has remained unanswered.","documents":[{"url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.349196/gov.uscourts.nyed.349196.1.0.pdf","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/8409355/davis-v-the-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Harkless, Kevin vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2013-06-21","disposition_date":"2014-02-28","payout_amount":9000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"13CV03347","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Lafortune, Steve P.","summary":"On October 18, 2012, plaintiff was standing in front of a friend's house on Milford Street, Brooklyn, talking, when three defendant officers pulled up in a police vehicle, exited and approached the plaintiff and friends. Plaintiff and his friends were searched and plaintiff was immediately placed in handcuffs and ushered into a police vehicle. Plaintiff was transported to the 75th Precinct where he was searched again and placed in a cell. After several hours, plaintiff was transported to Brooklyn Central Booking. Defendants completed arrest paperwork, containing claims they knew were materially false, and was forwarded to the DA to commence criminal prosecution. Plaintiff was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree and brought before the criminal court, where all charges were adjourned in contemplation of dismissal and eventually dismissed.","documents":[{"url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.343607.10.0.pdf","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4322665/harkless-v-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Hampton v. City of New York et al","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","payout_amount":3000,"disposition":"Settlement","documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4923372-Hampton-v-City-of-New-York-et-al"}],"docket":"11CV02084","officer_name":"Steve P. Lafortune"},{"name":"Joseph v. Lallave et al","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","payout_amount":50001,"disposition":"Settlement","documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4919991-Joseph-v-Lallave-et-al"},{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4919992-Joseph-v-Lallave-et-al"}],"docket":"13CV07051","officer_name":"Steve P. Lafortune","url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4323049/joseph-v-lallave/"}],"discipline":[{"case_no":"2012-7152","disposition_date":"2013-09-03","penalty":"Charges and Specifications dismissed","opened_date":"2012-05-29","charges":[{"desc":"While off duty, was discourteous to an on duty uniformed supervisors of the New York City Police Department","disposition":"Dismissed"}],"documents":[{"name":"Document","url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4418914-nypd-cases-042.html"}]}],"documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22119875-928609_01142022_2022002pdf","date":"2022-01-14T00:00:00.000Z","type":"trial-decision"},{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24441170-bronx-notified-officers-list-edited_redacted-redacted_redacted","type":"credibility-finding"},{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21025089-lafortune-26b84b8746bdc85c565a8fc054f720b3f7530f83","type":"brady-giglio"}],"id":"VPLF","url":"https://www.50-a.org/officer/VPLF"}