Complaint #201407556,
July 24, 2014

Officer: Galvin, Ryan
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Premises entered and/or searched
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Charges)
Officer: Powers, Erek
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Premises entered and/or searched
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Charges)
Officer: Xylas, Mark
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Premises entered and/or searched
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Charges)
Officer: Xylas, Mark
Complainant: Black Female, 36
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Threat to damage/seize property
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Charges)
Officer Complainant Allegation CCRB Conclusion
Galvin, Ryan Abuse of Authority: Premises entered and/or searched Substantiated (Charges)
Powers, Erek Abuse of Authority: Premises entered and/or searched Substantiated (Charges)
Xylas, Mark Abuse of Authority: Premises entered and/or searched Substantiated (Charges)
Xylas, Mark Black Female, 36 Abuse of Authority: Threat to damage/seize property Substantiated (Charges)

Conclusion Meanings:

'Substantiated': The misconduct occurred and it violated the rules. The NYPD has discretion over what, if any, discipline is imposed.

Further details on conclusions.


Penalties

Powers, Erek
Closed: Not guilty after trial-PC Approved, June 9, 2017
APU Not guilty

Xylas, Mark
Closed: Not guilty after trial-PC Approved, June 9, 2017
APU Not guilty

Galvin, Ryan
Closed: Not guilty after trial-PC Approved, June 9, 2017
APU Not guilty

Summary

On July 24, 2014 at approximately 3:00p.m. [redacted] and [redacted] were standing in front of [redacted] in Brooklyn. They stated that they witnessed four plainclothes officers running down [redacted] a small private roadway in the immediate vicinity of [redacted] and then out of sight. According to [redacted] and [redacted] moments later, the same four officers walked to [redacted] and up to the second floor of the apartment, announced themselves as police and loudly knocked on the door for a few minutes while Sgt. Powers and PO Van Brackle remained on the ground floor with [redacted] and [redacted] Sgt. Powers indicated to [redacted] at that time that they were looking for a male, and since [redacted] knew the residents of the apartment of which the officers were knocking on, he entered [redacted] to obtain their phone numbers. [redacted] entered and exited [redacted] closing the door behind him, but keeping the door unlocked.
The two officers returned down stairs and then directed their attention to [redacted] once he exited [redacted] PO Xylas asked [redacted] if he lived in the apartment, and [redacted] stated that he did not. PO Xylas allegedly responded, "You just came out of there, open the door or we'll kick it in." (Allegation A). [redacted] stated that he would ring the doorbell, but before he could PO Xylas allegedly turned the knob to the apartment door and walked inside (Allegation B). PO Galvin walked in behind PO Xylas while Sgt. Powers remained in the hallway, just outside the doorway (Allegation C). Due to the entry, officers awoke [redacted] and [redacted]. An officer allegedly told [redacted] that they were looking for a minor by the name of '[redacted] explained that no one by that name was present, but the officers continued to search the apartment. The officers still allegedly searched all of the rooms of the apartment in places in which a person could hide (under beds, in closets, etc.) (Within Allegation C). The officers' alleged search produced negative results and the officers left... Read report for details.


Details

Incident: July 24, 2014
Received: July 25, 2014
Closed: June 30, 2015
Last Updated: October 2, 2025

Reason for contact: PD suspected C/V of violation/crime - bldg
Location: Apartment/house
In NYPD 81st Precinct Brooklyn
Outcome: No arrest made or summons issued

Witness Officers: Vaughan Ettienne, Romando Julien, Rikki Vanbrackle