Complaint #200810241,
July 15, 2008

Officer: Metsopulos, Joseph
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 52
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Search (of person)
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer: Metsopulos, Joseph
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 52
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Stop
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Metsopulos, Joseph
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 52
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer Complainant Allegation CCRB Conclusion
Metsopulos, Joseph Hispanic Male, 52 Abuse of Authority: Search (of person) Unsubstantiated
Metsopulos, Joseph Hispanic Male, 52 Abuse of Authority: Stop Exonerated
Metsopulos, Joseph Hispanic Male, 52 Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search Unsubstantiated

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.
'Unsubstantiated': or 'Unable to Determine' - The alleged conduct was investigated but could not determine both that the conduct occurred and that it broke the rules.

Further details on conclusions.


Summary

On July 15, 2008 at approximately 10:00 PM, [redacted] walked out of his building with his friend in order to smoke a cigarette for approximately thirty minutes before the two drove to Staten Island Ferry in order to pick up [redacted] brother. [redacted] had been inside his building at [redacted] and came out with his friend, a retired NYPD MOS who wished to remain anonymous and not get involved in this complaint. At some point, a woman exited the building and talked to the two individuals for about five minutes before getting in a car and driving away with another female.
Eventually [redacted] got into the driver's side of his brother's truck, a white Explorer, and unlocked the passenger's side door. [redacted] friend had a bag of groceries with him that he put between his legs after he entered the vehicle from the passenger's side. About twenty seconds after getting into his truck, [redacted] remembered that he had forgotten his license in his car which was parked across the street. Suddenly, an unmarked black Chevy Impala pulled up alongside [redacted] truck and stopped directly adjacent to the driver's side door. [redacted] then exited his truck and was subsequently confronted by two officers who had exited their RMP in response to [redacted].
An officer, identified by the CCRB as PO Joseph Metsopulos, exited the Chevy Impala from the driver's side and told [redacted] in an angry tone to put his hands on the fender of the Ford Explorer. PO Metsopulos, still speaking in an angry tone, asked [redacted] what he had just thrown into the vehicle. PO Metsopulos was standing about a foot away from [redacted] when he issued these instructions to him. In response, [redacted] told PO Metsopulos that he had not thrown anything into the truck. Incredulous, PO Metsopulos asked, "Why are you lying?" [redacted] told him that he was not lying. PO Metsopulos then questioned [redacted] why he was getting nervous and scared. PO Metsopulos grabbed [redacted] shirt by the chest, got behind him and put his weight into... Read report for details.


Details

Incident: July 15, 2008
Received: July 17, 2008
Closed: July 15, 2009

Reason for contact: PD suspected C/V of violation/crime - auto
Location: Street/highway
In NYPD 122nd Precinct Staten Island
Outcome: No arrest made or summons issued

Witness Officers: Joseph Memoly, Gary Morris, Christopher Palazzola