Complaint #201510371,
December 2, 2015

Officer: Dixon, Christopher
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 31
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer: Lavelle, Joseph
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 31
Allegation: Force: Physical force
CCRB Conclusion: Unfounded
Officer: Dixon, Christopher
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 31
Allegation: Discourtesy: Word
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer: Dixon, Christopher
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 31
Allegation: Force: Physical force
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer: Dixon, Christopher
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 31
Allegation: Force: Other
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer: Dixon, Christopher
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 31
Allegation: Force: Chokehold
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer: Dixon, Christopher
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 31
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Strip-searched
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Waldhelm, Eric
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 31
Allegation: Force: Nonlethal restraining device
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Dixon, Christopher
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 31
Allegation: Discourtesy: Word
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer: Lavelle, Joseph
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 31
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer: Citera, Thomas
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 31
Allegation: Discourtesy: Word
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer Complainant Allegation CCRB Conclusion
Dixon, Christopher Hispanic Male, 31 Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search Unsubstantiated
Lavelle, Joseph Hispanic Male, 31 Force: Physical force Unfounded
Dixon, Christopher Hispanic Male, 31 Discourtesy: Word Unsubstantiated
Dixon, Christopher Hispanic Male, 31 Force: Physical force Unsubstantiated
Dixon, Christopher Hispanic Male, 31 Force: Other Unsubstantiated
Dixon, Christopher Hispanic Male, 31 Force: Chokehold Unsubstantiated
Dixon, Christopher Hispanic Male, 31 Abuse of Authority: Strip-searched Exonerated
Waldhelm, Eric Hispanic Male, 31 Force: Nonlethal restraining device Exonerated
Dixon, Christopher Hispanic Male, 31 Discourtesy: Word Unsubstantiated
Lavelle, Joseph Hispanic Male, 31 Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search Unsubstantiated
Citera, Thomas Hispanic Male, 31 Discourtesy: Word 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.
'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.


Summary

On December 2, 2015, at approximately 11:00 p.m. [redacted] was traveling alone to a friend's house located on [redacted] in Brooklyn. During his drive, [redacted] received a phone call from his ex-girlfriend, [redacted] pulled over to answer the call, and parked his vehicle in front of a driveway located at [redacted] in Brooklyn. As [redacted] spoke on the phone, Sgt. Christopher Dixon, PO Joseph Lavelle, and PO John Wygand approached Sgt. Dixon's vehicle. Sgt. Dixon greeted [redacted] requested his license and registration, and allegedly instructed [redacted] to "get the fuck out of the car" (Allegation A). [redacted] alleged that throughout their interaction, Sgt. Dixon made numerous discourteous statements to him involving the word fuck (Allegation A). [redacted] exited from his vehicle, and Sgt. Dixon asked [redacted] if he had anything illegal. [redacted] disclosed that he had a small knife he used for work inside of his vehicle. Sgt. Dixon instructed [redacted] to stand at the rear of his vehicle and face in the opposite direction. Around this time, PO Aniello Napoli and PO Thomas Citera of the 62nd precinct anti-crime team drove by the location and stopped to assist. While at the rear of his vehicle with PO Citera, [redacted] attempted to turn around and watch Sgt. Dixon. PO Citera allegedly told [redacted] to "stop fucking looking" (Allegation B). PO Lavelle and Sgt. Dixon recovered a gravity knife and scale containing drug residue from [redacted] vehicle (Allegation C, Allegation D). [redacted] was subsequently placed under arrest on a top charge of criminal possession of a weapon and transported to the 62nd precinct stationhouse (Board Review 1).
At the 62nd precinct stationhouse, Sgt. Dixon authorized a strip search of [redacted] (Allegation E). PO Lavelle and PO Wygand strip searched [redacted] inside a bathroom at the 62nd precinct stationhouse. During the strip search, PO Lavelle informed [redacted] that he observed something in his buttocks. [redacted] denied that anything was concealed in his... Read report for details.


Details

Incident: December 2, 2015
Received: December 8, 2015
Closed: May 6, 2016

Reason for contact: PD suspected C/V of violation/crime - street
Location: Police building
In NYPD 62nd Precinct Brooklyn
Outcome: Arrest - other violation/crime

Witness Officers: Christophe Cunha, Aniello Napoli, Adam Torres, John Wygand