Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chancy Yardbird on October 6, 2012 at 6:31am

How does one "cut off" two police trucks?

And how hard would it be to get some of these police truck drivers some help with their road rage?

What good are they to anyone or themselves when relieved of duty and left on the wrong side of the blue wall?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by slapthatdemocrat - CenTex on October 6, 2012 at 8:30am

This angers me. Not because some kid got shot. Not because the police are out of control, but we're encouraged to trust and work with these people. Local PD's (not all, our local PD is on top of their game) once corrupted, are nothing more than state sponsored gangs. Their unit "integrity" and code of silence speaks for itself. Something needs to be done to weed these unstable individuals OUT of public service.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Timothy Cochran on October 6, 2012 at 10:48am

It's up to each of us to determine what behaviors we will and will not accept from our local law enforcement officers and how we are prepared to respond if our mayors, police chiefs and sheriffs can't or won't maintain discipline.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by KeKun on October 6, 2012 at 10:38am

It is extremely sad because I see this so often and only perhaps only seen one officer of the law who has such integrity to serve the people the way he is meant to. I feel sorry for him mostly because he is looked at most likely the way people look at these thugs.

And you know it is sad as well because my mother's fear is noticeably increased when a cop drives by.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Regulator, WRAM Recruiter on October 12, 2012 at 8:55am

Looks to me like a clear cut case of "road rage" on the part of the officers involved. They need to be hung out to dry and prosecuted for first degree murder.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chancy Yardbird on October 12, 2012 at 1:41pm

His commander has announced a posthumous promotion for an Army National Guardsman shot to death by New York City police.

Lt. Col. James Freehart read the proclamation Friday at the Queens funeral of 22-year-old Noel Polanco.

The Rev. Al Sharpton referenced the promotion in the eulogy. He said the Army has made Polanco a sergeant and God is giving him wings.

Polanco was unarmed when police pulled him over for a traffic violation on Oct. 4 near LaGuardia Airport.

A lawyer for the detective has said Polanco did not comply with orders to put his hands up and reached for something under his seat.

Polanco's front-seat passenger has disputed that account.

Polanco's mother, Cecilia Reyes, met with Queens District Attorney Richard Brown on Thursday.

http://www.wnyc.org/blogs/wnyc-news-blog/2012/oct/12/national-guard...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chancy Yardbird on October 13, 2012 at 6:01am

Queens District Attorney Expects Grand Jury in NYPD Shooting of Unarmed Motorist

The Queens District Attorney on Thursday told the mother of an unarmed motorist who was fatally shot last week by a New York City Police detective that a grand jury will likely be convened to determine if any criminal charges should be filed.

In a 30-minute meeting with Cecilia Reyes and her two attorneys, District Attorney Richard Brown “advised us that it is likely that a grand jury will hear this case” in the shooting death of National Guardsman Noel Polanco, attorney Sanford Rubenstein said.

In a statement, Brown said while the investigation is in its early stages, “I told [Polanco’s family] that when we conclude our investigation I expect that we will present all of the facts to the grand jury.”

A law-enforcement official said that this is the most delicate investigation involving an NYPD shooting in Queens since Sean Bell was shot and killed by police the night before his wedding in 2006.

Not all police-involved shootings go to a grand jury, and there is no time frame for when a decision will be made to convene a grand jury.

“All I want is justice. I don’t want this to be repeated for anyone, and I just want this to be done the right way,” Reyes said. “They are really going to work on this, they are going to investigate this and I have faith that they are going to do this.”

Speaking to reporters Thursday after an event, NYPD commissioner Raymond Kelly reiterated his belief that the shooting, which occurred during a traffic stop near LaGuardia Airport last week, will have to be presented to a grand jury.

“Not every case goes before the grand jury,” he said. “I believe that this case has to go before the grand jury.”

Polanco, 22 years old, was shot once in the abdomen by Det. Hassan Hamdy, 39, after police pulled him over for driving erratically, officials have said.

Hamdy’s attorney, Philip Karasyk, has said his client saw Polanco “lunge” toward something under his seat and believed “he was about to be met with deadly force,” when he fired the fatal shot. Hamdy looks forward to telling a grand jury his version of events, Karasyk said.

A funeral for Polanco is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at Eternal Love Baptist Church in Corona, Queens. The Rev. Al Sharpton will deliver remarks.

“He was a great child. I never had any problems with him. He was just a beautiful child,” Reyes said. “I guess no mother is ready to say good bye to a child. It’s hard. I don’t know how I am going to handle this.”

• ▶ Reply