On the evening of December 26th, 2009 off-duty Sergeant Reginald McReynolds of the NYPD was taking dinner to his girlfriends apartment when a pair of Bronx Police Officers stopped him.

Sgt. McReynolds claims that he was thrown around and racially profiled for being black by overly aggressive officers Officers Kyle Bach and Joseph Azevedo of the 52nd Precinct.

“I was minding my business,” McReynolds told the Daily News. “I can think of no other reason for being stopped but my skin color.”

“This incident has opened my eyes,” added McReynolds. McReynolds audits crime statistics and is assigned to the Quality Assurance Division.

Bach “came right up in my face and said, ‘What f—— apartment are you going to?'”
“He took out his penlight and shined it right in my eyes blinding me,” McReynolds said. “I let him know I’m on the job and was looking for my wallet and he struck me in the neck with his [baton].”

“[Bach] said to me, ‘I’m gonna take your pension today,'” McReynolds said.

Officers Azevedo and Bach were called to the building regarding a domestic violence dispute. They claim they believed Sgt. McReynolds to be the boyfriend of the woman involved with the domestic dispute. This claim seems suspect because Sgt. McReynolds is 42 years old and weighs 275lbs while the suspect is in his late 20’s and weighs around 150lbs.

“There’s no way in the world I fit the description of that guy,” he said.

McReynolds has now been charged with pushing Officer Azevedo, manipulating his girlfriend into saying he was being assaulted, and resisting the cops. He has served the people of New York for 19 years and has never gotten a civilian complaint or a command discipline. If you or anyone you know has been a victim of racial profiling contact one of our New York Personal Injury Attorneys at Orlow, Orlow, & Orlow.

Source: NY Daily News

Police officers are vested with an enormous amount of power over individuals in society.  This is evidenced by the weapons they carry and the badge that they wear or possess.   For an officer it is sometimes  difficult to understand that the power vested in them by the state is not their’s to wield  however their whim may dictate.  On the other hand, when a police officer makes a routine inquiry, we must all understand that an officer does have the responsibility of maintaining certain order and security within our society and as members of society we should be respectful and responsive.

Problems arise when a real or perceived lack of courtesy on the part of a police officer is interpreted as a demonstration of disrespect toward the individual being approached by that officer.  Or conversely, a word, comment or question by an individual being stopped by the officer is deemed by the officer as insufficiently responsive .  All too often the exchange of just a few words escalates into a major confrontation and the consequences lead to improper actions by the police officer in response to what the police officer views as disrespect  toward himself, personally.   Arrests that, under normal circumstances would not take place, now occur.   All too often, inappropriate physical force is also applied by the police officer.  This is compounded by the fact that what was clearly an unjustified arrest is usually “covered up” by the leveling of false or improper charges.   The “victim” is now incarcerated, may suffer physical injury, and is burdened with facing criminal charges in court.

Part 1 – Keystone Kop Part 3 – Inadequate Training