Thomas’ father, retired first-grade NYPD Detective Harold Thomas texted the video of the arrest to Mayor Adams, former Chief of Division Jeffrey Maddrey, and different high-ranking NYPD officers inside hours of his son’s arrest.
Cellphone footage of Police Officers Brian Guzman and Anthony Riccardi throughout the arrest of Harold Thomas.
The subsequent day, the Inside Affairs Bureau put the 2 cops on modified project — a transfer NYPD union officers are calling an entire overreaction.
“We believe the NYPD overreacted by placing these police officers on modified assignment, especially when they were engaged in exactly the type of proactive enforcement that NYPD management has made a priority,” Police Benevolent Affiliation President Patrick Hendry mentioned.
Disciplinary prices haven’t been filed towards the officers as IAB continues its investigation. Cops are usually not robotically pulled from the streets if a grievance is filed towards them. Historically, IAB has to get corroborating proof and be ready to file prices to warrant such a step.
“The incident is under internal review,” an NYPD spokesman mentioned Friday.
Thomas and his three pals, all Black metropolis and state staff, have been returning residence from a birthday celebration at a close-by membership in a rented Mercedes-Maybach once they have been pulled over close to the nook of twenty fifth Ave. and forty ninth St. at about 3 a.m. in keeping with a discover of declare filed over the incident.
The officers, who have been in two unmarked police automobiles, advised the motive force that the tint on the Maybach’s home windows was too darkish, the declare says. The officers then ordered everybody out of the automobile and demanded to see their IDs.
Thomas mentioned one officer demanded to see his ID. Motorists have to indicate ID when pulled over by police, however cops most often can’t demand passengers for his or her ID except they’re suspected of committing a criminal offense.
“I asked them, why do you need to see my ID, I’m in the back seat,” Thomas mentioned.
As a son of a retired NYPD detective, Thomas had a handful of Police Benevolent Affiliation courtesy playing cards in his pockets, a apply underneath which the playing cards are sometimes used to sign affiliation with the division throughout a cease.
He took them out together with his ID to indicate the officers, however one of many cops “was getting agitated,” he recalled.
“I guess I wasn’t moving quick enough for him,” Thomas mentioned. “[The cop] told me if I did not get out of the car and provide my ID he was going to take it from me. I told him, ‘You’re not touching me’ and ‘I’m going to get out of the car on my own,’ but he got more frustrated, ran around the car, grabbed me by my shoulders and shirt, and yanked me out.”
Thomas fell to the bottom as he was pulled out of the automobile, the grievance says. Cellphone video taken by Thomas’ buddy exhibits one cop pulling him throughout the curb by the neck whereas one other punches him within the again and facet.
“Why you punching him?” certainly one of Thomas’ pals calls for to know within the video.
“I was getting out of the car! I do not need your help,” Thomas could possibly be heard telling the cops as they handcuffed him. “I’m not doing anything! This is ridiculous!”
Police sources mentioned the three different occupants acquired out and confirmed their ID, however Thomas wouldn’t instantly comply, even after his pals have been caught on body-worn digicam encouraging him to take action.
Thomas was charged with obstructing authorities administration and resisting arrest. In a grievance filed with Queens Legal Court docket, Riccardi mentioned Thomas refused to get out of the automobile and “planted his feet on the floor inside the vehicle.” When the officer tried to handcuff him, Thomas “tensed up his arms and kept his arm under his body and clenched said arm to his chest to avoid being handcuffed.”
“There were multiple supervisors on that scene. This individual was the only one in the vehicle who refused to comply with their requests. He was concealing his hands and refusing to be handcuffed. He could have easily been concealing a weapon,” the PBA’s Hendry mentioned.
“These officers had to use necessary force to gain compliance and protect their safety and the safety of everyone on that scene,” Hendry mentioned. “We are confident they will be exonerated once the case is fully investigated.”
At Thomas’ arraignment, a Queens Legal Court docket decide ordered an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal, that means if he doesn’t get arrested once more, the costs can be dismissed.
Cops additionally handcuffed Thomas’ buddy Benjamin Trye, a psychological well being therapist aide for the New York State Division of Psychological Well being, who was driving the automobile. He was later given a summons for having an excessive amount of tint on the automobile’s home windows, though a tint meter to find out how darkish the tint was was by no means used, in keeping with a discover of declare filed towards town.
Cellphone footage of Police Officers Brian Guzman and Anthony Riccardi throughout the arrest of Harold Thomas.
Former Detective Thomas, who now lives in Georgia, was furious when he realized his son was arrested. It additionally gave him flashbacks to 2012, when he was arrested whereas off obligation after popping out of a nightclub in Manhattan. His namesake was with him on the time and he felt he was being racially profiled.
“I was so pissed off,” the retired detective mentioned, remembering the second he was advised of his son’s arrest and proven the video. “I sent the video to Maddrey and all of the guys.”
He even despatched the video to Adams, a former NYPD captain. The 2 went to the Police Academy collectively, he mentioned.
“They said they didn’t like what they saw and referred me to [IAB],” former Detective Thomas mentioned. “A lot of people need policing, but nobody needs to be roughed up and have their rights violated.”
Legal professional Eric Sanders, who filed the discover of declare, indicating his plans to sue town mentioned he’s additionally filed a grievance with the Queens District Legal professional’s Public Corruption Bureau.
“The violent and unconstitutional treatment of these four men by the NYPD is a direct violation of their civil rights and another glaring example of racial profiling and police brutality,” Sanders mentioned. “The officers involved acted with impunity, escalating a baseless stop into a violent assault.”
Initially Printed: February 24, 2025 at 7:00 PM EST
