CCRB can punish cops who turn off bodycams and also initiate probes without complaints: appeals court

The city’s police oversight agency can punish officers who turn off their body cameras during incidents and also initiate probes without a public complaint, a state appeals court has ruled.NYPD unions representing officers and sergeants had challenged such new Civilian Complaint Review Board rules in a lawsuit last year, claiming that these expansions of oversight “exceeded their authority.” “The PBA will seek leave to appeal this decision,” Patrick Hendry, president of the Police Benevolent Association, said of the latest ruling siding with the CCRB.Hendry called the review board “a rogue agency staffed with anti-police activists on a mission to eradicate any form of effective, proactive policing in New York City.“Their ultimate goal is to take full control of the NYPD and drive talented police officers away from this job,” Hendry told The Post.

“Unfortunately, they’re succeeding.”The CCRB was defended in the legal challenge by the city Law Department and supported with briefs from the NYCLU, Bronx Defenders and Latino Justice.“We are pleased that the courts have once again rejected the PBA’s attempt to thwart police accountability and undermine the CCRB’s independent investigations into police abuse,” NYCLU senior staff attorney Lupe Aguirre told The Post.“This ruling will make it harder for officers to keep investigators and New Yorkers in the dark about police misconduct during civilian encounters.”A Law Department rep added, “CCRB had the legal authority to make a determination it believes to be critical to its mission.“We are pleased the court agreed,” the representative said.In 2022, the CCRB announced a number of new rules to the objection of the PBA as well as the Sergeants Benevolent Association.

The unions sued the agency in 2023, calling the changes “blatantly prejudicial to officers.”But the CCRB argued in court filings that the misuse of cops’ body cameras makes reaching determinations on potential poli...