NYPD detective Patrick Cherry captured on camera slamming an Uber driver and the video goes viral. Sanjay Seth, an Uber driver, made the mistake of honking at plainclothes NYPD detective Patrick Cherry, who was attempting to park without using his blinker at a green light. The angry officer went on a racist rant where he mocked the Uber driver’s accent.
The headline “NYPD detective Patrick Cherry abuses Uber driver” has put back America’s police abuse and brutality debate in the forefront. On March 30th, Sanjay Seth, an Uber driver posted a three-minute video on YouTube with the title “Police Abuse of Uber Driver in New York City.”
In the clip, which was filmed by two of Seth's passengers, it was revealed that on Monday, as he was heading to Little West 12th Street, he saw a driver trying to park without using his blinker at a green light.
The Uber driver honked at the male driver, who was dressed in a simple blue shirt and green tie, not knowing that it was a NYPD detective.
Insulted by the Uber driver's honking, Patrick Cherry, a NYPD detective pulled him over and delivered a rant of epic proportion. The officer asked the Uber driver where did he learn English, told him that is not how things are done in America and laughed at his accent. Cherry told the driver:
“I don't know where you're coming from, where you think you're appropriate in doing that; that's not the way it works. How long have you been in this country?”
The angry NYPD detective, gave a lengthy, racist and abusive monologue because out fear, the Uber driver rarely spoke only saying "OK," "OK" on few occasions. Cherry ended the one-way conversation by saying that he would not arrest the driver because he has more important things to do. The clients, who filmed that Officer abuse Uber clip, explained:
"In an unmarked car, the policeman was allegedly attempting to park without using his blinker at a green light. (His reverse lights weren't on. Likely double parked without hazards on.) The Uber driver pulled around and gestured that he should use his blinker, casually and non-offensively, and kept driving us. The policeman quickly pulls up behind us and this is what happens. This occurred just before 2pm on the West side of Manhattan, in NYPD 6th Precinct, on March 30th, 2015, near Little West 12th Street. The officer did not identify himself, but he had a New York license plate: GSS 8891."
Commissioner Bill Bratton has confirmed that the plainclothes NYPD detective was indeed in an unmarked car because he was coming from the hospital after visiting a friend. According to Bratton, NYPD detective Patrick Cherry, was part of the department’s elite Joint Terrorism Task Force and has been put on desk duty since the Uber driver drama.
Bratton had the following to say about the NYPD detective Patrick Cherry/Uber driver incident:
"No good cop should watch that video without a wince. Because all good cops know that officer just made their jobs a little bit harder.”
Further disciplinary actions will be taken against NYPD detective Patrick Cherry. The incident is being investigated by the Internal Affairs Bureau and by the Civilian Complaint Review Board. Uber's spokesperson Matt Wing issued a statement that read:
“The behavior in the video is wrong and unacceptable and we appreciate the NYPD investigating the incident. We are in touch with our driver-partner who was subjected to this terrible experience and will continue to provide any support he needs.”
The Uber driver has testified along with the two passengers who filmed the incident.
At CCRB, I spoke with an Investigator, the Chief Prosecutor, and the Executive Director. They are taking this complaint seriously.
— Sanjay Seth (@sanjayseth) April 1, 2015
Thanks to NYPD, Uber, and CCRB for a positive and constructive process. -s
— Sanjay Seth (@sanjayseth) April 1, 2015
NYPD detective Patrick Cherry's verbal abuse of the Uber driver has sparked another debate about the need to reform law enforcement.
What do you think of NYPD detective Patrick Cherry's behavior?
