Complaint #201207361,
June 6, 2012

Summary

A group of approximately ten people was in the backyard of a multi-family residence in the Bronx. One man had finished doing repair work in his residence, and another was waiting for a tenant to return and open a unit so additional work could be done. Unbeknownst to them, officers were preparing to execute a search warrant on the building. When the officers arrived, they handcuffed the people in the backyard and searched the residence. The civilians stated that they complied with the officers' orders but that Detective Larsen nevertheless punched an individual and pointed his gun at him. When interviewed, Detective Larsen denied punching anyone but confirmed he did point his gun at an individual. He stated he did so because there were fifty people in the backyard, and no one was obeying any of the officers' commands to stay still. Detective Larsen testified that the people in the backyard resembled "the West Indian Day Parade or J'Ouvert" (both celebrations in Brooklyn in which large numbers of Black New Yorkers congregate). Detective Larsen also stated that there was a large carving knife on the scene, though he did not voucher it. No one was arrested and no evidence of any crime was obtained. No other officer corroborated Detective Larsen's testimony - another officer confirmed that there were no more than ten people in the backyard, that they all complied with the officers' commands, and that there was no knife.
The CCRB found that the search of the premise was exonerated because it had been executed under a legally obtained warrant, but substantiated allegations of excessive force against Detective Larsen and found that he made false official statements in his CCRB interview.
The NYPD closed the case as "previously adjudicated with discipline," but there is no record in the NYPD officer discipline database of prior discipline issued in connection with the incident. Read report for details.