4 top NYPD officials disciplined amid corruption probe
NEW YORK -- Four senior New York City police officials have been reassigned amid a federal corruption investigation, CBS New York reported.
Deputy Housing Chief Michael Harrington and Deputy Inspector James Grant, head of the Upper East Side's 19th Precinct, have been stripped of their guns and badges, and transferred, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton announced Thursday. Brooklyn South Deputy Chief Eric Rodriguez and Deputy Chief David Colon have been transferred.
"This is not a particularly good day for the department," Bratton said. "The public has expectations of its public officials, of its police department and certainly the leadership of the department. If those expectations are not met, actions must be taken."
The probe is looking into whether police officers accepted lavish gifts and vacations from members of Brooklyn's Orthodox Jewish communities in exchange for police escorts and security, CBS New York reported.
The two-year-old inquiry is focused on current and former officers, as well as others, Bratton said. One community affairs detective has been put on desk duty and stripped of his gun and badge, according to police.
"It's not a good day, but as always we'll have to go where we believe the truth takes us," Bratton said.
"We don't believe that this is deep, systemic corruption throughout the department," Deputy Commissioner Larry Byrne said.
Bratton said investigators are examining whether conflict-of-interest rules, guidelines or laws were broken.