Why did the NYPD strip search a fruit vendor?
The video is bad enough. Shot by subway vendor Maria Falcon’s daughter, it shows New York’s finest keeping the city safe from bagged fruit, escorting a handcuffed Falcon to the 33rd precinct for selling mangoes.
But even if you’re the kind of … fascist who believes in the supremacy of “following the rules”—or, if you, like our Mayor, are worried about the proliferation of George Foreman grills on the subway—what happened next is insane and indefensible.
Once she was taken to the 33rd precinct an officer made her take off her clothes to check for guns or drugs. “I felt very scared and fearful,” she said.
According to the NYPD rule book, a strip search should be conducted only if the arresting officer has strong reason to believe the suspect is carrying contraband or weapons:
A strip search is any search in which an individual’s undergarments (e.g., bra, underwear, etc.) and/or private areas are exposed or in which an individual’s clothing is removed, lifted up, or pulled down to expose undergarments or private areas. A strip search of a prisoner may not be conducted routinely in connection with an arrest. Strip searches may only be conducted with the knowledge and approval of the arresting officer’s immediate supervisor or the borough Court Section supervisor. A strip search may only be conducted when the arresting officer reasonably suspects that weapons, contraband, or evidence may be concealed upon the person or in the clothing in such a manner that they may not be discovered by the previous search methods.
Did they think she was packing heat to intimidate rival fruit vendors? Or that the entire enterprise was a drug front? Did they think she tried to hide the evidence by stuffing mangos in her underwear?
Or, did they breach the NYPD’s own instructions for officer conduct to terrorize a middle-aged woman selling fruit? Thoughts welcome in the comments.
Honestly, nothing seems to change this is pathetic, especially in the wake of the fatal shootings in Buffalo, by an alleged white supremacist. We should be able to tell the difference between the ones with the badge.
Were they worried about assault with a deadly mango? 🤦♀️
If these are the “few” bad cops that are giving a bad name to the blue, then discipline, retrain or fire them. Enough already with such discriminatory assaults on minorities & women.