Complaint #201705845,
April 26, 2017

Officer: Mejia, John
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 43
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Refusal to obtain medical treatment
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Officer: Unknown Officer
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 40-44
Allegation: Discourtesy: Word
CCRB Conclusion: Officer(s) Unidentified
Officer: Mejia, John
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 43
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Strip-searched
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer: Mejia, John
Complainant: Male
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Strip-searched
CCRB Conclusion: Alleged Victim Unavailable
Officer: Amato, Thomas
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 43
Allegation: Force: Physical force
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Mejia, John
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 43
Allegation: Discourtesy: Word
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer: Mejia, John
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 43
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Threat of force (verbal or physical)
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer Complainant Allegation CCRB Conclusion
Mejia, John Hispanic Male, 43 Abuse of Authority: Refusal to obtain medical treatment Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Unknown Officer Hispanic Male, 40-44 Discourtesy: Word Officer(s) Unidentified
Mejia, John Hispanic Male, 43 Abuse of Authority: Strip-searched Unsubstantiated
Mejia, John Male Abuse of Authority: Strip-searched Alleged Victim Unavailable
Amato, Thomas Hispanic Male, 43 Force: Physical force Exonerated
Mejia, John Hispanic Male, 43 Discourtesy: Word Unsubstantiated
Mejia, John Hispanic Male, 43 Abuse of Authority: Threat of force (verbal or physical) 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.
'Officer(s) Unidentified': Unable to identify the officers who committed the alleged misconduct
'Substantiated': The misconduct occurred and it violated the rules. The NYPD has discretion over what, if any, discipline is imposed.
'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.


Penalty

Mejia, John
Command Discipline - A

Summary

On April 26, 2017, at approximately 6:00 p.m., Detective Jeremy Ramos observed [redacted] and [redacted] engage in a hand to hand drug transaction inside the courtyard of 334 East 112th Street in Manhattan. Upon Det. Ramos' observation, he, Sergeant John Meija, Detective Thomas Amato, Detective Shakina Fludd, and Detective Keithlyn Fredericks, all of Manhattan North Narcotics, approached the individuals to arrest them. Sgt. Mejia allegedly grabbed [redacted] wrists before identifying himself and [redacted] pulled his arms away. Det. Amato then took [redacted] to the ground by taking his "legs from underneath" him in a sweeping motion (Allegation A: Force – physical force, [redacted] Det. Amato and Sgt. Mejia began to handcuff [redacted] during which an officer told [redacted] to, "Shut the fuck up" (Allegation B: Discourtesy – word, [redacted] was then raised off the ground. By that time the field team's prisoner van arrived at the location, driven by Sergeant Jose Salas, currently assigned to the 34th Precinct, with Detective Natasha Yasin in the passenger, currently assigned to Real Time Crime Control, and who were both assigned to Manhattan North Narcotics at that time. [redacted] and [redacted] were all placed in the prisoner van to be taken to the 34th Precinct stationhouse.
Upon arriving at the stationhouse, [redacted] and the other individuals were taken to the command desk and then into a holding cell. Shortly after, [redacted] and [redacted] were allegedly taken out of the holding cell and strip searched, each separately (Allegation C: Abuse of authority - strip search, [redacted]) (Allegation D: Abuse of Authority – strip search, [redacted] During the process of [redacted] alleged strip searched, Sgt. Mejia asked him if he had any needles on him; allegedly further stating that if he got "pricked" he would, "fucks [redacted] up" (Allegation E: Discourtesy - word, [redacted] (Allegation F: Abuse of Authority – threat of force, [redacted]
Also at the stationhouse, [redacted] asked Sgt. Mejia for medical... Read report for details.


Details

Incident: April 26, 2017
Received: July 17, 2017
Closed: October 3, 2018

Reason for contact: PD suspected C/V of violation/crime - street
Location: Street/highway
In NYPD 23rd Precinct Manhattan
Outcome: Arrest - other violation/crime

Witness Officers: Keithlyn Frederick, Jeremy Ramos, Jose Salas, Shakina Stryker, Natasha Yasin