Civilian board backs 14 complaints on NYPD handling of Floyd protests 

After months of investigation, the Civilian Complaint Review Board has so far substantiated 14 cases of alleged misconduct of 20 cops during the summer protests surrounding the death of George Floyd, agency officials disclosed Tuesday.

But the board recommends charges against officers in only two of the cases, with the other 12 referred to the NYPD for training and command discipline, CCRB chairman Fred Davie told members of a City Council committee.

The 14 cases of substantiated allegations are distilled from a total of 297 protest cases the CCRB has handled at a time when agency officials said they were unable to identify some officers. Davie said the NYPD did not keep track of where cops were deployed during the protests and officers wore helmets with improper shield numbers.

So far, the CCRB has completed 37 investigations. In nearly 60% of completed cases the probes ended because of a failure to identify the officers, inadequate evidence or the cops being exonerated, according to data later made available by the CCRB.

The 14 substantiated cases represent 38% of the completed probes.

Davie also said during the City Council budget hearing that the CCRB has been challenged by the need to work remotely during the pandemic and chronic underfunding.

The CCRB still faces 185 open protest investigations, including some held in abeyance because protesters filed lawsuits or face criminal charges. In other cases, interviews still have to be conducted of officers involved in the allegations, said the CCRB.

Davie’s testimony sparked some tension when Councilman Robert F. Holden (D- Queens) took issue with Davie’s characterization of the protests as lawful and peaceful.

"I saw a lot of violent protests, we saw burning police cars, we saw looting, we saw a lot of things that were violent," said Holden, explaining that he thought the better characterization was just to say "protests."

Holden said: "It really resonated with me that you are making any anti-NYPD determination, because there were protests that were violent and cops were hurt."

Davie countered: "I have deep respect for the NYPD. For you to say I am anti-NYPD, you are being inflammatory and I think that is unfair."

Davie disputed the way Holden described his testimony and said he promised the public the CCRB would be impartial in probing police actions.

The NYPD has said there were 600 protests last summer and that it was doing its own review of police conduct.

By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.comtonynewsday

Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.