Matthew Vahey

Badge #7959, White Male
Former Detective Grade 2 at Emergency Services Unit
Service started February 1994, ended August 2020, Tax #907488

Substantiated Allegations:
Force: Push/Shove

Lawsuit Settlements:
$30,000   Patterson, James A., et Al vs City of New York, et al., 2020 EDNY EDNY 20CV03972
$85,000   Williams, Richard vs City of New York, et al., 2020 EDNY EDNY 20CV02560
$25,000   Burton, Eduardo vs City of New York, et al., 2019 EDNY EDNY 19CV06677
$75,000   Prekas, Marko vs City of New York, et al., 2014 EDNY EDNY 14CV05744
View Details

Complaints

6 Complaints
14 Allegations
1 Substantiated
1 Substantiated (Charges)
3 Exonerated
2 Unfounded
8 Unsubstantiated

Complaint #201903162, March 2019
Allegation: Discourtesy: Word
Complainant: Black Male, 19
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Threat of force (verbal or physical)
Complainant: Black Male, 19
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Documents: Complaint Closing Report
additional details

Complaint #201810670, December 2018
Allegation: Force: Physical force
Complainant: Black Male, 22
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Entry of Premises
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Documents: Complaint Closing Report
additional details

Complaint #201801584, February 2018
Allegation: Discourtesy: Word
Complainant: Black Male, 50
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Allegation: Force: Physical force
Complainant: Black Male, 50
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Documents: Complaint Closing Report
additional details

Complaint #200705037, March 2007
Allegation: Force: Physical force
Complainant: Black Female, 54
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
additional details

Complaint #200206386, September 2002
Allegation: Force: Other blunt instrument as a club
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 19
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
additional details

Complaint #9602320, May 1996
Allegation: Force: Beat
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Allegation: Force: Push/Shove
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Charges)
Allegation: Force: Other - Force
CCRB Conclusion: Unfounded
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Person Searched
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Other - Abuse
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Allegation: Offensive Language: Black
CCRB Conclusion: Unfounded
additional details

Complaint #201903162, March 2019
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Discourtesy: Word Black Male, 19 Exonerated
Abuse of Authority: Threat of force (verbal or physical) Black Male, 19 Unsubstantiated
Documents: Complaint Closing Report
additional details
Complaint #201810670, December 2018
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Force: Physical force Black Male, 22 Unsubstantiated
Abuse of Authority: Entry of Premises Exonerated
Documents: Complaint Closing Report
additional details
Complaint #201801584, February 2018
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Discourtesy: Word Black Male, 50 Unsubstantiated
Force: Physical force Black Male, 50 Unsubstantiated
Documents: Complaint Closing Report
additional details
Complaint #200705037, March 2007
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Force: Physical force Black Female, 54 Exonerated
additional details
Complaint #200206386, September 2002
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Force: Other blunt instrument as a club Hispanic Male, 19 Unsubstantiated
additional details
Complaint #9602320, May 1996
Allegation CCRB Conclusion
Force: Beat Unsubstantiated
Force: Push/Shove Substantiated (Charges)
Force: Other - Force Unfounded
Abuse of Authority: Person Searched Unsubstantiated
Abuse of Authority: Other - Abuse Unsubstantiated
Offensive Language: Black Unfounded
additional details

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.
'Unfounded': Evidence suggests that the event or alleged conduct did not occur.
'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.


Lawsuits

Named in 6 known lawsuits, $215,000 total settlements.

Patterson, James A., et Al vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 20CV03972, U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, August 27, 2020, ended June 14, 2024
$30,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On May 23, 2019, Defendant NYPD Officers executed a no-knock warrant by breaking down the front door of Plaintiff's home with a battering ram. Defendant Officers entered the home with guns drawn, entered Plaintiff's bedroom and pointed the guns at Plaintiffs and their children and ordered them to 'get down.' Defendant Officer pushed Plaintiff face down on the floor, tightly handcuffed him and forcibly removed him from the bedroom and put him into a police vehicle. Officers kept the gun pointed at Plaintiff's spouse who was in her underwear and their children. Plaintiff's spouse was searched including her scalp and hair bonnet and was not allowed to put on her clothes or to dress her children until after the sea...

Williams, Richard vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 20CV02560, U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, June 11, 2020, ended January 31, 2023
$85,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On or about the morning of September 18, 2018, Plaintiff was asleep in his single-family residence that he shared with other people. Plaintiff woke in his bedroom when he heard noise in the hallway and Defendant NYPD Officer Vahey entered dressed in SWAT gear and holding a battering ram. Defendant Vahey struck Plaintiff in the forehead with the ram, handcuffed Plaintiff, and arrested him. Plaintiff was taken to the 81st Precinct and was then charged with possessing an illegal imitation pistol that Defendant O'Brien falsely testified was found in Plaintiff's bedroom when it was actually discovered in a different part of the house. Plaintiff was released on his own recognizance and all charges were eventually dis...

Burton, Eduardo vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 19CV06677, U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, December 24, 2019, ended February 14, 2021
$25,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On February 27, 2018, NYPD officers, including Stephen Daly, Matthew Vahey, Patrick Barry, Lenno Hendricks, Shawn Soler, Kenneth Paek, Daniel Keane, Dennis Mogelnicki, Eric Miller, and “John” Richardson, forcibly entered an apartment in which plaintiffs were staying. Officers entered the bedroom, pointed guns at plaintiffs, and handcuffed them. The officers were then joined by NYPD officers John Uske, Captain John Breslin, Sergeant David Cheesewright, Leonard Clarke, Andrew Kamna, Lawrende Hotaling, Kellan O’Neill, Gerard Fenton, and Christopher Griffith. Although the officers knew that plaintiffs did not reside at the apartment and that they were not the target of the search warrant, they continued plaintiffs'...

Young, Tyrone, et al. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 18CV05552, U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, October 5, 2018
Complaint
Description: Beginning on or about March 4, 2018, Plaintiffs including their two children were subject to numerous illegal unreasonable and unwarranted searches of their home conducted with excessive force by NYPD Officers. At about 6 a.m. on March 4, 2018, Defendants rammed down the door of Plaintiffs' home with rifles pointed with laser sights and yelling and searing at Plaintiffs to get on the floor. When Plaintiff asked for a warrant none was provided. Plaintiff's teenage child, a black boy, was placed in handcuffs. The officers pillaged the apartment for 45 minutes leaving it ransacked. One officer took a brass sword hanging from the wall saying he just liked it. Additional 911 calls have prompted Police officers to vi...

Conde, Miguel Administrator of The Estate of Mario Sanabria, et al. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 024544/2018E, Supreme Court - Bronx, April 24, 2018

Prekas, Marko vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 14CV05744, U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, October 14, 2014, ended October 30, 2015
$75,000 Settlement
Complaint, Second Amended Complaint
Description: On March 13, 2012, ten NYPD officers executed a search warrant at 311 Gordon Street, Staten Island, but unlawfully entered and searched Marko Prekas' separate basement apartment, not covered by the warrant. Michael Driscoll And Robert Patelli, entered Prekas’ apartment with firearms. Prekas was awakened by an officer pointing guns at him. When PREKAS stood up out of his bed, a defendant officer pressed his firearm against Prekas’ chest and a defendant officer, believed to be Robert Patelli, handcuffed Prekas without cause. Defendants Matthew Edelman, Donald Stewart, Luis Torino, William Russo, Kevin Sills, Matthew Bilotti, Michael Zak, and Dennis Maira, entered the location and searched both the first floor and...

Other Documents