Complaint #201505478,
July 1, 2015

Officer: Veliz, Melissa
Complainant: Black Male, 30
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Stop
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Formalized Training)
Officer: Veliz, Melissa
Complainant: Black Male, 30
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Search (of person)
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Formalized Training)
Officer: Francisco, Jean
Complainant: Black Male, 30
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Stop
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Formalized Training)
Officer: Francisco, Jean
Complainant: Black Male, 30
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Frisk
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Formalized Training)
Officer: Sette, Raymond
Complainant: Black Female, 53
Allegation: Force: Physical force
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Sette, Raymond
Complainant: Black Female, 53
Allegation: Discourtesy: Word
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer: Williams, Tamara
Complainant: Black Male, 30
Allegation: Force: Pepper spray
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Unknown Officer
Complainant: Black Male, 30-34
Allegation: Force: Physical force
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Francisco, Jean
Complainant: Black Male, 30
Allegation: Force: Physical force
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer: Unknown Officer
Complainant: Black Male, 30-34
Allegation: Force: Physical force
CCRB Conclusion: Unfounded
Officer: Francisco, Jean
Complainant: Black Male, 30
Allegation: Force: Physical force
CCRB Investigator Recommendation: Substantiated
CCRB Board Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Francisco, Jean
Complainant: Black Male, 30
Allegation: Force: Physical force
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer Complainant Allegation CCRB Board Conclusion
Veliz, Melissa Black Male, 30 Abuse of Authority: Stop Substantiated (Formalized Training)
Veliz, Melissa Black Male, 30 Abuse of Authority: Search (of person) Substantiated (Formalized Training)
Francisco, Jean Black Male, 30 Abuse of Authority: Stop Substantiated (Formalized Training)
Francisco, Jean Black Male, 30 Abuse of Authority: Frisk Substantiated (Formalized Training)
Sette, Raymond Black Female, 53 Force: Physical force Exonerated
Sette, Raymond Black Female, 53 Discourtesy: Word Unsubstantiated
Williams, Tamara Black Male, 30 Force: Pepper spray Exonerated
Unknown Officer Black Male, 30-34 Force: Physical force Exonerated
Francisco, Jean Black Male, 30 Force: Physical force Unsubstantiated
Unknown Officer Black Male, 30-34 Force: Physical force Unfounded
Francisco, Jean Black Male, 30 Force: Physical force Exonerated
CCRB Investigator Recommendation: Substantiated
Francisco, Jean Black Male, 30 Force: Physical force 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.
'Substantiated': The misconduct occurred and it violated the rules. The NYPD has discretion over what, if any, discipline is imposed.
'Unfounded': Evidence suggests that the event or alleged conduct did not occur.
'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.


Penalties

Veliz, Melissa
Formalized Training

Francisco, Jean
Formalized Training

Summary

On July 1, 2015, at approximately 1:21 p.m., [redacted] was standing near the intersection of West 129th Street and Fredrick Douglass Boulevard in Manhattan with [redacted] when he was approached by PO Melissa Veliz and PO Jean Francisco, both from PSA6. PO Francisco placed his forearm on [redacted]'s chest (Allegation A and B) and frisked his chest and pockets (Allegation C). [redacted] did not notice at the time, but PO Veliz removed a 3-inch pocket knife from [redacted]'s pocket (Allegation D). PO Francisco asked for [redacted]'s identification and upon receiving it he immediately placed it in his pocket and took his handcuffs off his belt. PO Francisco asked [redacted] to come with him. [redacted] said that he would not and that he was going home. [redacted] attempted to walk away. PO Francisco pushed [redacted] and [redacted] pushed PO Francisco's hands away (Allegation E). PO Francisco swung his fist at [redacted] and brushed his chin (Allegation F). PO Francisco punched the left side of [redacted]'s face twice. [redacted] raised his fists in front of his face and PO Francisco punched [redacted] a total of seven times with five or six of the punched connecting with his face (Allegation F continued). Additional officers arrived to the location and grabbed [redacted], twisting him to the ground. PO Tamara Miller, from the 32nd Precinct and whose name has subsequently changed to PO Tamara Williams, pepper sprayed [redacted] (Allegation G). An officer placed a knee on [redacted]'s back (Allegation H) and another officer placed a knee on [redacted]'s face (Allegation I). [redacted] was handcuffed and taken to an ambulance. Inside the ambulance, [redacted] was spitting blood. PO Francisco said to [redacted] that he was spitting too much and he punched [redacted] on the right and left side of the face (Allegation J). [redacted] arrived at this time. She asked, "Why are you hitting my son?" and she attempted to enter the ambulance. Sgt. Raymond Sette, from PSA 6, pushed [redacted] backward (Allegation K) and said,... Read report for details.


Details

Incident: July 1, 2015
Received: July 2, 2015
Closed: January 19, 2016

Reason for contact: PD suspected C/V of violation/crime - street
Location: Street/highway
In NYPD 32nd Precinct Manhattan
Outcome: Arrest - other violation/crime

Witness Officers: Cristian Balbi, Shalonda Ingram
Video evidence collected