Complaint #202106755,
October 26, 2021

Officer: Staffa, Daniel
Complainant: Black Female, 25-29
Allegation: Discourtesy: Word
CCRB Conclusion: Unfounded
Officer: Staffa, Daniel
Complainant: Black Male, 30-34
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Vehicle stop
CCRB Investigator Recommendation: Unsubstantiated
CCRB Board Conclusion: Unable to Determine
Officer: Staffa, Daniel
Complainant: Black Female, 25-29
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Threat of arrest
CCRB Investigator Recommendation: Exonerated
CCRB Board Conclusion: Within NYPD Guidelines
Officer: Staffa, Daniel
Complainant: Black Male, 30-34
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Seizure of property
CCRB Investigator Recommendation: Exonerated
CCRB Board Conclusion: Within NYPD Guidelines
Officer: Staffa, Daniel
Complainant: Black Male, 30-34
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Officer: Wallen, Elias
Complainant: Black Male, 30-34
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Officer: Mcdonald, Jonathan
Complainant: Black Female, 25-29
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Refusal to provide name
CCRB Investigator Recommendation: Unsubstantiated
CCRB Board Conclusion: Unable to Determine
Officer: Mcdonald, Jonathan
Complainant: Black Female, 25-29
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Refusal to provide shield number
CCRB Investigator Recommendation: Unsubstantiated
CCRB Board Conclusion: Unable to Determine
Officer: Mcdonald, Jonathan
Complainant: Black Male, 30-34
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search
CCRB Conclusion: Unfounded
Officer: Staffa, Daniel
Complainant: Black Male, 30-34
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Officer: Unknown Officer
Complainant: Black Male, 30-34
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Property damaged
CCRB Conclusion: Officer(s) Unidentified
Officer Complainant Allegation CCRB Board Conclusion
Staffa, Daniel Black Female, 25-29 Discourtesy: Word Unfounded
Staffa, Daniel Black Male, 30-34 Abuse of Authority: Vehicle stop Unable to Determine
CCRB Investigator Recommendation: Unsubstantiated
Staffa, Daniel Black Female, 25-29 Abuse of Authority: Threat of arrest Within NYPD Guidelines
CCRB Investigator Recommendation: Exonerated
Staffa, Daniel Black Male, 30-34 Abuse of Authority: Seizure of property Within NYPD Guidelines
CCRB Investigator Recommendation: Exonerated
Staffa, Daniel Black Male, 30-34 Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Wallen, Elias Black Male, 30-34 Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Mcdonald, Jonathan Black Female, 25-29 Abuse of Authority: Refusal to provide name Unable to Determine
CCRB Investigator Recommendation: Unsubstantiated
Mcdonald, Jonathan Black Female, 25-29 Abuse of Authority: Refusal to provide shield number Unable to Determine
CCRB Investigator Recommendation: Unsubstantiated
Mcdonald, Jonathan Black Male, 30-34 Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search Unfounded
Staffa, Daniel Black Male, 30-34 Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Unknown Officer Black Male, 30-34 Abuse of Authority: Property damaged Officer(s) Unidentified

Conclusion Meanings:

'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.
'Unable to Determine': The alleged conduct was investigated but could not determine both that the conduct occurred and that it broke the rules.
'Unfounded': Evidence suggests that the event or alleged conduct did not occur.
'Within NYPD Guidelines': The conduct occurred but did not violate the NYPD's own rules, which often give officers significant discretion.

Further details on conclusions.


Penalties

Staffa, Daniel
No Disciplinary Action-DUP
No penalty

Wallen, Elias
No Disciplinary Action-DUP
No penalty

Summary

On October 26, 2021, at approximately 6:40 p.m., [redacted] was driving in the vicinity of Lincoln Place and Franklin Avenue in Brooklyn with his girlfriend, [redacted] and her 10-year-old niece, [redacted] Detective Daniel Staffa, of the 77th Precinct, stopped the car (Allegation A: Abuse of Authority, [redacted]). Police Officer Elias Wallen, of the 77th Precinct, and Det. Staffa ordered [redacted] to exit the car, stating that that he was under arrest. Det. Staffa allegedly told [redacted] "I wish you would just shut the fuck up," and, "If you don't shut the fuck up, I'm going to arrest you" (Allegation B: Discourtesy, [redacted]); (Allegation C: Abuse of Authority, [redacted]). Det. Staffa searched [redacted]s car for his phone (Allegation D: Abuse of Authority, [redacted]). Det. Staffa made the decision to seize [redacted]s car (Allegation E: Abuse of Authority, [redacted]). Police Officer Jonathan McDonald, of the 77th Precinct, arrived on scene to transport [redacted]s car to the stationhouse and allegedly searched the glove compartment (Allegation F: Abuse of Authority, [redacted]). PO McDonald allegedly refused to provide his name and shield number to [redacted] (Allegations G-H: Abuse of Authority, [redacted]). At the 77th Precinct stationhouse, Det. Staffa and PO Wallen conducted a search of [redacted]s car (Allegations I-J: Abuse of Authority, [redacted]). The officers allegedly left all the windows and sunroof open, and it had rained, so the entire interior of [redacted]s car had water damage (Allegation K: Abuse of Authority, [redacted]).
[redacted] was charged with [redacted] (Board Review). [redacted] Read report for details.


Details

Incident: October 26, 2021
Received: November 8, 2021
Closed: March 17, 2023

Reason for contact: PD suspected C/V of violation/crime - auto
Location: Street/highway
In NYPD 77th Precinct Brooklyn
Outcome: Arrest - other violation/crime

Witness Officers: Walid Ibrahim, Umar Khitab, Gerber Lizardo, John Polacsek
Body-Worn Camera evidence collected
Video evidence collected