NYPD probes postings on ethnic parade

NYPD internal affairs investigators are probing a series of disparaging Facebook postings linked to policing of the West Indian Day Parade, a massive Labor Day weekend event marred by violence.

The postings were compiled in a web community titled "No More West Indian Day Detail" and were first reported Tuesday in The New York Times. Law enforcement officials said the web compilation, which includes references to parade participants as "savages" and "animals," were made available Tuesday by attorneys for the Brooklyn Defender Services who were representing a man charged with gun possession at the 2010 parade. The man was acquitted, his attorneys stated.

"Internal Affairs Bureau is looking into it," said NYPD spokesman Paul Browne of the postings, which appeared to have been taken down.

However, Browne also said that it hasn't been established that people posting comments were police officers. Photos attached to some of the disparaging remarks suggested they were made by civilians or retired cops. Some listed as being subscribed to the site reportedly admitted being cops but denied leaving the offending remarks.

Browne said cops aren't supposed to engage in "conduct unbecoming" their status but added it wasn't clear what NYPD regulations may have been violated.

"They should bring in the National Guard!!! Let the government handle these animals," said one posting.

Other postings on the site said police assigned to patrol the parade route hated the massive crowds, the violence and open consumption of marijuana. In September, shootings a few blocks off the parade route in Brooklyn left three dead and two cops wounded.

"I say, have the parade one more year and when they all gather drop a bomb and wipe them all out," stated another comment.

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and Public Advocate Bill DiBlasio denounced the postings, as did parade organizers.

"The language and expressions used to characterize our community members is both racist and volatile and cannot be characterized in any other manner," said the West Indian American Day Carnival Association.

"There is nothing really new about the comments," said Noel Leader, an ex-cop who is a spokesman for the organization 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care. "I have had worse written on my locker in the precinct."

Leader said racial remarks have long appeared on another website "Thee Rant" were people claiming to be cops rail on a wide variety of NYPD issues.

"When you show this kind of hatred, the sky's the limit on how you treat people," he said.

A YouTube posting of cops suggestively dancing with female parade revelers caused a stir weeks ago but the NYPD said no cops were disciplined.