Complaint #200502807,
March 15, 2005

Summary

At approximately 8:30AM on March 15, 2005, [redacted] was looking for parking on the streets surrounding the school that she works at. While stopped at a light on 80th Street, she dialed a number in her cellular phone and put it against her ear. As she did so, she noticed a marked police vehicle on her left on Avenue J and immediately put the phone on speakerphone. As the light turned green she made a left-hand turn onto Avenue J and continued looking for parking. However, the police vehicle made a U-turn in the intersection and put its lights and sirens on. She assumed that the officers had observed her on her cellular phone and immediately pulled over on Avenue J between 81st and 82nd Street. PO Dyce, who [redacted] identified from the summons, exited and walked over to her driver-side window. PO Dyce was a black female officer, approximately 5'6", with a slim build and long black hair in a ponytail. PO Dyce immediately informed [redacted] that she had been observed using a cellular phone while driving and asked for her license and registration. [redacted] stated that she hadn't technically been driving in an attempt to get off on a technicality. Still, she provided the officer with the vehicle's registration and a photocopy of her driver's license. [redacted] explained to the officer that she did not have her original driver's license because she had photocopied it and left it on the copy machine. PO Dyce went back to her vehicle for a few moments and returned to [redacted] with summonses for driving while on a cellular phone and being an unlicensed driver. [redacted] took the summonses and stated in an even tone, "Thanks for wrongfully giving me a ticket." PO Dyce did not respond and returned to her vehicle. [redacted] continued on her way, looking for a parking spot so that she could go to work. The police vehicle was directly behind her as she drove and made a left onto East 82nd Street. She observed two co-workers and curtly waved at them with an open hand still inside the vehicle. She then made another... Read report for details.