New York Police Sergeant Arrested After Confrontation With Cyclist

[Tony T]

NYT: New York Police Sergeant Arrested After Confrontation With Cyclist (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/21/nyregion/new-york-police-sergeant-arrested.html?_r=0)

A New York City police officer pulled a gun on a bicyclist and later pushed the man to the ground in a fit of road rage in southwestern Queens, the police said on Thursday.

The officer, Sgt. Bradley Beamer, was making an illegal U-turn around 10 p.m. on Wednesday in Long Island City when he nearly struck the cyclist, the police said. The victim, a 34-year-old man, told investigators that he and Sergeant Beamer were arguing when the officer pulled out small black gun and threatened him near the intersections of Queens Plaza North and 24th Street.

Sergeant Beamer, 40, briefly left the scene, the police said, but returned and pushed the man off his bicycle to the ground. The cyclist had cuts on his leg, but did not go to the hospital, the police said.

Sergeant Beamer, who was off duty at the time, was taken into custody at the scene and placed under arrest around 6 a.m. on Thursday. He was charged with assault, harassment and menacing.

He was giving a desk appearance ticket and suspended from the Police Department without pay for 30 days.

Sergeant Beamer joined the department in 2005. He was most recently assigned to the Special Investigations Division of the Detective Bureau.

In a previous assignment in the 100th Precinct in Far Rockaway, he was honored for heroism in 2012 by the Sergeants Benevolent Association. An athlete, he was a player on the NYPD Blues softball team that won the Police World Series in 2010, after defeating the Ohio Lawmen.

Attempts to reach Sergeant Beamer by phone and email on Thursday afternoon were unsuccessful.

[Veloo]

Cuz the softball thing is such an important part of the equation here?

[soulspinner]

Cuz the softball thing is such an important part of the equation here?

Right? wth

[Brian Cdn]

Underhanded... I think.

[jghall]

I'll at least give them partial credit for doing something. While not enough, believe most places would have completely swept under the bridge.

Or maybe even promoted him to the football squad.

[saab2000]

If any of us assaulted a cop and pulled a gun on them I'm pretty sure we'd end up with more than a 30-day suspension. We'd end up in jail. Why does this criminal thug get off so easily?

[galgal]

Underhanded... I think.

The 2010 Ohio Lawmen agree

[ultraman6970]

At least they did something, thats a good thing but this idiot needs to be terminated w/o any investigation, there is nothing to investigate either.

This idiot will continue in the streets by next month, and thats the part that sucks the most.

[gdw]

If any of us assaulted a cop and pulled a gun on them I'm pretty sure we'd end up with more than a 30-day suspension. We'd end up in jail. Why does this criminal thug get off so easily?

He's been charged with assault, harassment, and menacing. The 30 day suspension is probably standard department policy while an incident is investigated.

[Tony T]

I'll at least give them partial credit for doing something. While not enough, believe most places would have completely swept under the bridge.

Or maybe even promoted him to the football squad.

Not enough?
They did exactly what should be done (…taken into custody at the scene and placed under arrest.… He was charged with assault, harassment and menacing.)

[Tony T]

At least they did something, thats a good thing but this idiot needs to be terminated w/o any investigation.

No need to investigate :eek:

The NYPD did the right thing (arrested the cop and charged him with assault, harassment and menacing) ,and they still get sh1t here?

[wallymann]

protect and serve.

this guy violates the very essence of his oath -- he's a criminal, yet he still gets to keep his job with a slap on the wrist?

how many repeat offenses does he get before he can no longer serve as an LEO?

No need to investigate :eek:

The NYPD did the right thing (arrested the cop and charged him with assault, harassment and menacing) ,and they still get sh1t here?

[shovelhd]

Why wasn't the charge assault with a deadly weapon? That's a felony. Can a convicted felon be a cop? I think we need to see this go to trial first.

[gdw]

protect and serve.

this guy violates the very essence of his oath -- he's a criminal, yet he still gets to keep his job with a slap on the wrist?

how many repeat offenses does he get before he can no longer serve as an LEO?

Wow. Google due process. It's one of those things that our constitution guarantees all of us...even cops.

[wallymann]

Wow. Google due process. It's one of those things that our constitution guarantees all of us...even cops.

ah, thought it was further along.

LE organizations have a history of not being overly interested in policing themselves. the "lightness" of the charges is further evidence of that.

[ultraman6970]

Probably he will get out of this because he knows how to play softball? :D

[Nooch]

I feel like the article is strangely reminiscent of the Brock Turner articles, where his swimming times were listed after the details of his rape arrest, humanizing the perp and adding nothing, but certainly taking away something, from the victim. Subtle victim shaming...

[nesteel]

Pretty sure if I pulled a firearm on someone during road rage incident, I'd get more than a desk appearance ticket. A desk appearance ticket allows the offender to avoid awaiting an arraignment hearing in a jail cell. So, while something was done, he's still being treated pretty well considering the offenses.
Typical Joe Schmoe would've sat it out in a holding cell waiting for court.

[ptourkin]

I feel like the article is strangely reminiscent of the Brock Turner articles, where his swimming times were listed after the details of his rape arrest, humanizing the perp and adding nothing, but certainly taking away something, from the victim. Subtle victim shaming...

Yes. When the suspect in the hate-based murders of two black men in Baton Rouge last week was arrested, the local paper originally used pictures of him in his Eagle Scout uniform with quotes from people who knew him about what a nice mild-mannered guy he is. Later, they changed the pic and mentioned that he was obsessed with Hitler. Similar sympathy is not shown to other criminal suspects who are portrayed as "thugs." Take from this what you will.

However, yes - due process is a guarantee for government actions and this case is not excluded from that.

[rwsaunders]

Pretty sure if I pulled a firearm on someone during road rage incident, I'd get more than a desk appearance ticket. A desk appearance ticket allows the offender to avoid awaiting an arraignment hearing in a jail cell. So, while something was done, he's still being treated pretty well considering the offenses. Typical Joe Schmoe would've sat it out in a holding cell waiting for court.

It sounds like he was charged with 3rd degree assault, menacing and harassment, which are only classified as misdemeanors in NY state. I'm with you in that if you pulled a gun on a cop off duty or not, you'd most likely be looking at felony charges.

[Black Dog]

Sadly it is too often it is innocent until proven innocent with charges against LEO especially if they are on duty. Even though in this case he was not. However the charges are lighter than they should be.

[Peter P.]

The LEO probably has union rights/protections which prohibit him from being fired on the spot.

Also, if he's found innocent, he will likely get back pay for the suspension, AS WELL AS ESTIMATED LOST OVERTIME.

This happened in my town. Needless to say, the public was astounded.

Some officers wiggle out of the situation by retiring, WITH A FULL PENSION, before trial, where if found guilty they would be fired and lose all pension benefits.

[Ronsonic]

If any of us assaulted a cop and pulled a gun on them I'm pretty sure we'd end up with more than a 30-day suspension. We'd end up in jail. Why does this criminal thug get off so easily?

He's not off the hook yet. He's been charged with crimes and for once one of these jerks got suspended WITHOUT pay. He's still got to go to trial and will probably not be back on the force.

[BobO]

He's not off the hook yet. He's been charged with crimes and for once one of these jerks got suspended WITHOUT pay. He's still got to go to trial and will probably not be back on the force.

His basic problem is that he was off duty at the time and not acting in performance of his duties. If you'll recall, the cop that killed Milton Olin got off because he was distracted "in performance of his duties," when he was using both his PC and phone while driving into the bike lane. This condition does not exist in this case, which is at best an abuse of power, at worst criminal thuggery. The main thing to watch for is if he requests a bench trial and gets off, which would imply special treatment between police and court officers.