| Officer: | Messina, Gary |
|---|---|
| Allegation: | Abuse of Authority: Person Searched |
| CCRB Conclusion: | Exonerated |
| Officer: | Messina, Gary |
| Allegation: | Abuse of Authority: Threat of force |
| CCRB Conclusion: | Unsubstantiated |
| Officer: | Messina, Gary |
| Allegation: | Discourtesy: Nasty Words |
| CCRB Conclusion: | Unsubstantiated |
| Officer: | Horodecki, Steven |
| Allegation: | Discourtesy: Nasty Words |
| CCRB Conclusion: | Exonerated |
| Officer | Allegation | CCRB Conclusion | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Messina, Gary | Abuse of Authority: Person Searched | Exonerated | |
| Messina, Gary | Abuse of Authority: Threat of force | Unsubstantiated | |
| Messina, Gary | Discourtesy: Nasty Words | Unsubstantiated | |
| Horodecki, Steven | Discourtesy: Nasty Words | Exonerated |
Further details on conclusions.
On October 17, 1997 at approximately 8:00pm, [redacted] had made a call on a public phone on the corner of 123rd Street and 111th Avenue in Queens. Two uniformed MOS, PO Syska and Sgt. Horodecki, approached [redacted] and informed him that he had been observed making an exchange of cash for drugs. The officers held his arms, frisked and searched his pockets. The officers then handcuffed [redacted]. PO Syska asked [redacted] where he had placed the shit. PO Syska then informed Lt. Messina over the radio that they had apprehended [redacted] and Lt. Messina instructed them to get [redacted] off of the avenue. PO Syska and Sgt. Horodecki escorted [redacted] to 120th Street, toward a parked RMP. PO Syska and Sgt. Horodecki frisked and searched [redacted] again. Sgt. Horodecki told [redacted] not to make them go crazy looking for the shit and asked him where he had placed it. Lt. Messina then instructed the officers over the radio to place [redacted] in the RMP and to continue the questioning at the station house.
The officers placed [redacted] in the back seat and Lt. Messina instructed them over the radio to ensure that [redacted] lay down in the back of the RMP so that no one could see him. [redacted] was driven to what he believed was the site of a drug raid at the corner of 123rd Street and 111th Avenue. At this location two young men were also arrested by Sgt. Horodecki and PO Syska while [redacted] remained in the RMP.
PO Syska and Sgt. Horodecki then drove [redacted] to the 106th precinct station house. [redacted] acknowledged that he gave four different versions as to where the drugs were. [redacted] first told PO Syska and Lt. Messina that he had the drugs in his underwear. Lt. Messina ordered that [redacted] be brought to a restroom and strip-searched. A plainclothes officer present in the bathroom told [redacted] that Lt. Messina would "work on him" so [redacted] should make it easy for everyone and cooperate. During the strip search, Lt. Messina threatened to strike [redacted] if he did not cooperate...
Read report for details.