| Officer: | Degaetano, Richard |
|---|---|
| Complainant: | Black Male, 45-49 |
| Allegation: | Abuse of Authority: Search of Premises |
| CCRB Investigator Recommendation: | Exonerated |
| CCRB Board Conclusion: | Unsubstantiated |
| Officer: | Degaetano, Richard |
| Complainant: | Black Male, 45-49 |
| Allegation: | Abuse of Authority: Entry of Premises |
| CCRB Conclusion: | Exonerated |
| Officer: | Wolfe, Michael |
| Complainant: | Black Male, 45-49 |
| Allegation: | Abuse of Authority: Entry of Premises |
| CCRB Conclusion: | Exonerated |
| Officer: | Unknown Officer |
| Complainant: | Black Male, 45-49 |
| Allegation: | Abuse of Authority: Entry of Premises |
| CCRB Conclusion: | Exonerated |
| Officer | Complainant | Allegation | CCRB Board Conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degaetano, Richard | Black Male, 45-49 | Abuse of Authority: Search of Premises | Unsubstantiated |
| CCRB Investigator Recommendation: Exonerated | |||
| Degaetano, Richard | Black Male, 45-49 | Abuse of Authority: Entry of Premises | Exonerated |
| Wolfe, Michael | Black Male, 45-49 | Abuse of Authority: Entry of Premises | Exonerated |
| Unknown Officer | Black Male, 45-49 | Abuse of Authority: Entry of Premises | Exonerated |
Further details on conclusions.
On November 2, 2019, at approximately 12:22 a.m., [redacted] Det. Degaetano, Det. Wolfe, and additional officers entered the club (Allegations A-C: Abuse of Authority, [redacted]). Det. Degaetano also searched a rear storage room in the club (Allegation D: Abuse of Authority, [redacted]). Det. Degaetano arrested [redacted].
This incident was the second in a series of three incidents involving Det. Degaetano taking enforcement action at [redacted]'s unlicensed club. [redacted].
Allegation (A) Abuse of Authority: Detective Richard Degaetano entered [redacted] in Staten Island.
Allegation (B) Abuse of Authority: Detective Michael Wolfe entered [redacted] in Staten Island.
Allegation (C) Abuse of Authority: Officers entered [redacted] in Staten Island.
It is undisputed that Det. Degaetano, Det. Wolfe, and other officers entered the social club. It is also undisputed that [redacted] unknowingly allowed at least one undercover officer to enter the club. It is further undisputed that the club did not have a liquor license at the time of the incident.
The physical location [redacted] is a ground-floor commercial space with a front entrance, a single public area with a fully stocked bar, barstools, and a dart board, a bathroom, and a rear storage room with a locked door. In a statement made to the CCRB in October 2019, in relation to [redacted] explained that he conceived of the club as a members-only establishment. Members paid a monthly fee for unlimited access to the club. However, non-members could still enter by paying a fee at the door, and non-members were admitted without a fee during the first two months after [redacted] opened the club. [redacted] insisted that the club's structure did not involve the sale of alcohol, as patrons did not hand over cash in exchange for drinks. Instead, a patron's orders were "tabulated" at the end of the night and then he or she handed over "a donation" in return. In his CCRB statement for this case, made in November 2019, [redacted] similarly claimed that the club did not...
Read report for details.