Lawrence O. Thomas

Badge #1939, Black Male, 44
Detective Grade 3 at 33rd Precinct Detective Squad since February 2017
Service started July 2008, made $167,000 last year, active

Substantiated Allegations:
Abuse of Authority: Stop


Lawsuit settlements:
$30,000   Desoto, Jesus Sr., et al. vs City of New York, et al., 2016 SDNY SDNY 16CV06829
$120,000   Soto, Luis vs City of New York, et al., 2016 SDNY SDNY 16CV05927
$37,500   Gomez, Rafael, et al. vs City of New York, et al., 2016 SDNY SDNY 16CV02377
$5,250   Rodriguez, Carlos vs City of New York, et al., 2016 SDNY SDNY 16CV00096
$37,500   Pepic, Selma vs City of New York, et al., 2015 NYCSC NYCSC 157448/2015
$750,000   Caminero, Francisco vs City of New York, et al., 2015 NYCSC NYCSC 155570/2015
View Details

Complaints

11 Allegations
1 Substantiated
9 Complaints
1 Substantiated (Charges)
1 Alleged Victim Uncooperative
1 Closed - Pending Litigation
1 Complainant Unavailable
3 Complainant Uncooperative
1 Complaint Withdrawn
1 Unsubstantiated
2 Victim Unidentified

October 2019 Complaint
Allegation: Force: Physical force
Complainant: White Male, 29
CCRB Conclusion: Closed - Pending Litigation
additional details

December 2016 Complaint
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Stop
Complainant: Black Male, 48
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Charges)
APU Case Status: Closed: Guilty after trial
NYPD Conclusion: APU Guilty
Penalty: Forfeit vacation 4 days
Documents: APU Quarterly Report summary
additional details

May 2015 Complaint
Allegation: Force: Physical force
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 25
CCRB Conclusion: Complainant Unavailable
additional details

July 2014 Complaint
Allegation: Force: Physical force
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 35
CCRB Conclusion: Complaint Withdrawn
additional details

June 2014 Complaint
Allegation: Force: Hit against inanimate object
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 52
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
additional details

May 2013 Complaint
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Gun Drawn
CCRB Conclusion: Alleged Victim Uncooperative
additional details

December 2012 Complaint
Allegation: Force: Physical force
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 25
CCRB Conclusion: Complainant Uncooperative
additional details

September 2012 Complaint
Allegation: Force: Physical force
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 23
CCRB Conclusion: Complainant Uncooperative
Allegation: Force: Physical force
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 23
CCRB Conclusion: Complainant Uncooperative
additional details

September 2011 Complaint
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Frisk
CCRB Conclusion: Victim Unidentified
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Stop
CCRB Conclusion: Victim Unidentified
additional details

October 2019 Complaint
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Force: Physical force White Male, 29 Closed - Pending Litigation
additional details
December 2016 Complaint
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Abuse of Authority: Stop Black Male, 48 Substantiated (Charges)
APU Case Status: Closed: Guilty after trial
NYPD Conclusion: APU Guilty
Penalty: Forfeit vacation 4 days
Documents: APU Quarterly Report summary
additional details
May 2015 Complaint
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Force: Physical force Hispanic Male, 25 Complainant Unavailable
additional details
July 2014 Complaint
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Force: Physical force Hispanic Male, 35 Complaint Withdrawn
additional details
June 2014 Complaint
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Force: Hit against inanimate object Hispanic Male, 52 Unsubstantiated
additional details
May 2013 Complaint
Allegation CCRB Conclusion
Abuse of Authority: Gun Drawn Alleged Victim Uncooperative
additional details
December 2012 Complaint
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Force: Physical force Hispanic Male, 25 Complainant Uncooperative
additional details
September 2012 Complaint
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Force: Physical force Hispanic Male, 23 Complainant Uncooperative
Force: Physical force Hispanic Male, 23 Complainant Uncooperative
additional details
September 2011 Complaint
Allegation CCRB Conclusion
Abuse of Authority: Frisk Victim Unidentified
Abuse of Authority: Stop Victim Unidentified
additional details

Conclusion Meanings:

'Substantiated': The alleged conduct occurred and it violated the rules. The NYPD has discretion over what, if any, discipline is imposed.
'Unsubstantiated': or 'Unable to Determine' - CCRB has fully investigated but could not affirmatively conclude both that the conduct occurred and that it broke the rules.

Further details on conclusion definitions.


Discipline

Case: 2017-17641
Closed: 1/27/2018
Case Details:
  1. Guilty: While on duty, abused his authority as a member of the New York City Police Department, in that he stopped a person known to the Department without sufficient legal authority.
Penalty: Vacation days (4 days)


Lawsuits

Named in 6 known lawsuits, $980,250 total settlements.

Desoto, Jesus Sr., et al. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 16CV06829, U.S. District Court - Southern District NY, September 22, 2016, ended February 16, 2018
$30,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: Plaintiffs were leaving a club when a fight broke out which they weren't involved in. Defendant Officers arrived and began pepper spraying everyone. When one Plaintiff protested, he was put in a chokehold , handcuffed, and assaulted. Officers then assaulted and arrested Plaintiff Sr.. Both Plaintiffs were charged with Assault in the Second Degree, OGA, and Resisting Arrest, which were later dismissed.

Soto, Luis vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 16CV05927, U.S. District Court - Southern District NY, September 21, 2016, ended June 22, 2018
$120,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: The plaintiff was enjoying a barbecue with his friends when the defendant officers in plain clothes charged at him on the corner of the street, tackled the plaintiff, assaulted him, continued to beat him, handcuffed him, and transported him to the hospital for his injuries followed by the local precinct. The defendant officers claimed they saw the plaintiff sell narcotics although they didn't arrest the "buyer" and they searched and found nothing on the plaintiff. The plaintiff was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. The charges were later dismissed.

Gomez, Rafael, et al. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 16CV02377, U.S. District Court - Southern District NY, April 5, 2016, ended February 3, 2017
$37,500 Settlement
Complaint, Amended Complaint
Description: Plaintiffs car window had been broken and after they approached multiple officers to make a report, Defendant Officers unlawfully searched them, illegally assaulted them, and arrested them. Plaintiffs were brought to the 34th Precinct and charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and harassment, which were later dismissed.

Rodriguez, Carlos vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 16CV00096, U.S. District Court - Southern District NY, January 14, 2016, ended June 7, 2016
$5,250 Settlement
Complaint
Description: Plaintiff went up to his friends apartment to check if he wanted to join him and his friends at the gym. As Plaintiff was going down the steps to leave, Defendant Officers pushed him against a wall, searched him, and asked for ID. Plaintiff explained it was in the car waiting outside but officers arrested him, took him to the 34th Precinct, and charged him with Trespass and Criminal Trespass in the 2nd and 3rd Degree, which were dismissed at arraignment.

Pepic, Selma vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 157448/2015, Supreme Court - New York, August 4, 2015, ended July 17, 2017
$37,500 Settlement

Caminero, Francisco vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 155570/2015, Supreme Court - New York, June 18, 2015, ended February 7, 2018
$750,000 Settlement

District Attorney Disclosure Letter

Disclosure Letter