Complaint #200104805,
June 18, 2001

Officer: Taormina, Jonathan
Complainant: Black Male, 36
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Premises entered and/or searched
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Alps, Thomas
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Premises entered and/or searched
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Smyth, Michael
Complainant: Black Male, 36
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Premises entered and/or searched
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Taormina, Jonathan
Complainant: Black Male, 36
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Seizure of property
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer Complainant Allegation CCRB Conclusion
Taormina, Jonathan Black Male, 36 Abuse of Authority: Premises entered and/or searched Exonerated
Alps, Thomas Abuse of Authority: Premises entered and/or searched Exonerated
Smyth, Michael Black Male, 36 Abuse of Authority: Premises entered and/or searched Exonerated
Taormina, Jonathan Black Male, 36 Abuse of Authority: Seizure of property Exonerated

Conclusion Meanings:

'Exonerated': or 'Within NYPD Guidelines' - The conduct occurred but did not violate the NYPD's own rules, which often give officers significant discretion.

Further details on conclusions.


Summary

On June 18, 2001, Police Officers Michael Smyth and Thomas Alps responded to a radio run directing them to [redacted], regarding reports of possible child abuse. When the officers arrived on the scene, they knocked on the front door of the apartment, and discovered that four children, aged between [redacted] had been left alone with no adult supervision. The officers asked the kids for permission to enter the apartment, and were granted it [redacted] - the 911 call that initiated the radio run reported the kids had been playing on the fire escape, and the officers observed a fan on the floor of the apartment spinning on high, with no guards covering the whirling blades. The officers radioed in for a supervisor to respond, and Lt. Jonathan Taormina arrived on the scene. The officers then commenced to search through paperwork scattered in the apartment to search for a contact number for the parents. When [redacted], the children's father and the complainant in this case, arrived back at the apartment, he was arrested [redacted]. Property was also seized from [redacted] during his arrest. [redacted] filed a complaint against the involved officers, claiming they wrongly entered his apartment and seized his property. [redacted] Read report for details.


Details

Incident: June 18, 2001
Received: June 28, 2001
Closed: February 8, 2002

Reason for contact: Other
Location: Apartment/house
In NYPD 52nd Precinct Bronx
Outcome: Arrest - other violation/crime

Witness Officers: Sean Maloney, Doreen Saunders, Edward Schymanski