Posted on March 22, 2013

Stop-and-Frisk Trial: Cop’s Secret Tape Reveals Boss Ordered Him to Target Blacks Males Ages 14 to 21

Robert Gearty and Corky Siemaszko, NY Daily News, March 21, 2013

A top Bronx cop was caught on tape telling an NYPD whistleblower to specifically target “male blacks 14 to 21” for stop-and-frisk because they commit crimes.

Stop “the right people, the right time, the right location,” Deputy Inspector Christopher McCormack is heard saying on the recording.

“He meant blacks and Hispanics,” Officer Pedro Serrano, who made the secret recording, testified Thursday in Manhattan federal court.

“So what am I supposed to do: Stop every black and Hispanic?” Serrano was heard saying on the tape, which was recorded last month at the 40th Precinct in the Bronx.

McCormack said to focus on the Mott Haven section, where the problem “was robberies and grand larcenies.”

“I have no problem telling you this,” the inspector said on the tape. “Male blacks. And I told you at roll call, and I have no problem [to] tell you this, male blacks 14 to 21.”

During cross examination, City lawyer Brenda Cooke got Serrano to admit that McCormack never said he wanted Serrano to stop all blacks and Hispanics.

“Those specific words, no,” he told her.

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Serrano told the court he taped McCormick because he had gotten poor performance reviews for failing to meet what he claims was the monthly quota of 20 summonses and five stops-and-frisk and wanted evidence to show he was being retaliated against.

For speaking out, the 43-year-old cop who joined the NYPD in 2004 testified earlier that he was smeared as a “rat” and ostracized by fellow officers.

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