Complaint #202104899,
April 23, 2021

Officer: Espinal, John
Complainant: Black Male, 25-29
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Vehicle stop
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Espinal, John
Complainant: Black Male, 25-29
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Officer: Espinal, John
Complainant: Black Male, 25-29
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Question
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Espinal, John
Complainant: Black Male, 25-29
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Failure to provide RTKA card
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Espinal, John
Complainant: Black Male, 25-29
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Threat of arrest
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline B)
Officer Complainant Allegation CCRB Conclusion
Espinal, John Black Male, 25-29 Abuse of Authority: Vehicle stop Exonerated
Espinal, John Black Male, 25-29 Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Espinal, John Black Male, 25-29 Abuse of Authority: Question Exonerated
Espinal, John Black Male, 25-29 Abuse of Authority: Failure to provide RTKA card Exonerated
Espinal, John Black Male, 25-29 Abuse of Authority: Threat of arrest Substantiated (Command Discipline B)

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.

Further details on conclusions.


Penalty

Espinal, John
Forfeit vacation 6 days
Closed: Plea set aside, Without discipline, April 8, 2024
APU Dismissed

Summary

On April 23, 2021, at approximately 10:40 p.m., [redacted] was driving in the vicinity of Mother Gaston Boulevard in Brooklyn with [redacted] and [redacted] in the car with him. Police Officer John Espinal, Police Officer Biko Harvey, and Sergeant Ricardo Lewis, all of PSA 2, stopped the car (Allegation A: Abuse of Authority, [redacted] PO Espinal observed a full-sized NYPD Auxiliary police shield in the center console of the car and a mini-NYPD Auxiliary police shield in [redacted] wallet and questioned him about them (Allegation B: Abuse of Authority, [redacted] PO Espinal ordered [redacted] to give him the full-sized shield and threatened to arrest him if he did not do so (Allegation C: Abuse of Authority, [redacted] PO Espinal reached into the car and grabbed the shield (Allegation D: Abuse of Authority, [redacted] asked PO Espinal for a business card, and he said he did not have one and provided [redacted] with his name, shield number, and command (Allegation E, Abuse of Authority, [redacted] Read report for details.


Details

Incident: April 23, 2021
Received: August 17, 2021
Closed: September 7, 2022
Last Updated: April 10, 2024

Reason for contact: Other
Location: Street/highway
Outcome: No arrest made or summons issued

Witness Officers: Biko Harvey, Ricardo Lewis
Body-Worn Camera evidence collected