Complaint #9700248,
January 20, 1997

Officer: Haran, Michael
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Person Searched
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline)
Officer: Haran, Michael
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Detention
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Haran, Michael
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Other - Abuse
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline)
Officer: Gordon, Jeffrey
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Other - Abuse
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline)
Officer: Lehr, Kenneth
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Other - Abuse
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline)
Officer: Murphy, Timothy
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Other - Abuse
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline)
Officer: Haran, Michael
Allegation: Discourtesy: Nasty Words
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline)
Officer: Murphy, Timothy
Allegation: Discourtesy: Nasty Words
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer Allegation CCRB Conclusion
Haran, Michael Abuse of Authority: Person Searched Substantiated (Command Discipline)
Haran, Michael Abuse of Authority: Detention Exonerated
Haran, Michael Abuse of Authority: Other - Abuse Substantiated (Command Discipline)
Gordon, Jeffrey Abuse of Authority: Other - Abuse Substantiated (Command Discipline)
Lehr, Kenneth Abuse of Authority: Other - Abuse Substantiated (Command Discipline)
Murphy, Timothy Abuse of Authority: Other - Abuse Substantiated (Command Discipline)
Haran, Michael Discourtesy: Nasty Words Substantiated (Command Discipline)
Murphy, Timothy Discourtesy: Nasty Words 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.
'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.


Summary

On January 20, 1997, the four boys listed as witnesses were planning to play basketball at Madison High School, which was closed for the Martin Luther King Holiday. One of the boys was noticed by four anti-crime officers from the sixty-first precinct (the officers listed as subjects above). The three officers state that the boy was looking down driveways, while Sgt. Haran maintains that he was "acting in a suspicious manner" but does not elaborate except to say he was "looking around as though he was looking for the police or something." (See enclosure 16D) the boy being followed met up with his three friends and, still under the observation of the anti-crime officers, they checked that the school was locked; one boy peered into the window of the school and another tugged on the gate. As the boys walked away, Sgt. Haran spoke from the car, either calling the boys over or asking them where they were going. The boys did not respond, two of them apparently walking away from the car, and the sergeant spoke again, this time, according to three of the boys, calling them "jerkoffs." (See enclosures 4B, 5B, and 10B). PO Jeffrey Gordon, driving the car, hit the siren for a moment; the four officers exited the car and questioned the boys. Though the series of events is unclear, each of the four boys was frisked by an officer; the boys told the officers they had come to the school to play basketball, and [redacted] voluntarily opened his plastic shopping bag, which had a basketball inside. The officers filled out UF-250s on the boys and returned to the precinct. Read report for details.


Details

Incident: January 20, 1997
Received: January 24, 1997
Closed: January 24, 1997

Reason for contact: Stop/Question/Frisk
Outcome: No arrest made or summons issued