The video shows a stocky NYPD sergeant in a riot helmet forcefully shoving a female protester backward, sending her flying through the air.
More than four years after those encounters at a 2020 George Floyd protest in Brooklyn, the Civilian Complaint Review Board — which investigates and prosecutes incidents of police misconduct — came to a tentative agreement with the sergeant, Bilal Ates.
Plea Deal Rejected
He agreed to forfeit 10 vacation days in order to resolve the case and avoid a police department disciplinary trial — and perhaps a steeper penalty. But roughly a week before NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban resigned last month following an FBI raid of his and his brother’s homes in Rockland County, Caban rejected the plea deal and let Ates walk with no discipline at all.
Highly Dangerous
Ates was among a group of officers trying to clear protesters from Fourth Avenue near Pacific Street in downtown Brooklyn late on June 2, 2020. An investigation by the department’s Brooklyn South bureau found that Ates used reasonable force in both incidents that night, in part because he was trying to protect his colleagues from protesters who were disobeying repeated orders to get on the sidewalk.
CCRB Report
But a separate probe by the Civilian Complaint Review Board questioned Ates’ aggressiveness in both instances captured on camera by protest participant Daniel Atschuler. The CCRB report noted that the unidentified female protester had her “hands up in a non-threatening manner and begins to walk backwards and away from the arrest in compliance with officers’ directives” when, the report said, Ates forcefully shoved her.
Athletes Also Critical
Athletes also criticized the outcome. “I’m horrified to learn that this officer will walk scot-free after shoving and body-slamming protesters in plain sight,” said Atschuler. “How can New Yorkers have any confidence in the NYPD when Mayor Adams and his hand-picked leaders keep standing in the way of accountability for gross misconduct?”
CCRB Process
The Civilian Complaint Review Board opened an investigation into the incident and concluded that Ates used excessive force. The board found that Ates used the “minimal and reasonable” amount of force to protect an officer who was standing near Norton, but that use of force was not consistent with the video.
June 2020 Incidents
The CCRB report noted that Ates’ testimony of trying to protect his fellow officers was “not consistent” with the video, and that his takedown of Norton not only didn’t conform to his training but was needlessly hazardous.
Conclusion
The article concludes by highlighting the lack of accountability in the NYPD, as highlighted by the case of Bilal Ates. The article also criticizes Commissioner Caban for rejecting the plea deal and enforcing no discipline on Ates.
FAQs
Q: What is the role of the Civilian Complaint Review Board?
A: The Civilian Complaint Review Board is an independent agency that investigates and prosecutes incidents of police misconduct.
Q: What is the outcome of the Bilal Ates case?
A: Bilal Ates, a NYPD sergeant, was accused of using excessive force against two protesters during a George Floyd protest in 2020. He agreed to forfeit 10 vacation days in a plea deal, but the plea deal was rejected by Commissioner Caban, and Ates was let off with no discipline.
Q: What is the role of Commissioner Caban in the case?
A: Commissioner Caban rejected the plea deal and let Ates off with no discipline, sparking criticism from critics who say he is not holding police officers accountable for misconduct.
