Cop Who Shoved Cyclist Fired by NYPD, Faces 4 Year Sentence

The police officer who was infamously caught on camera tackling a bicyclist in New York City was fired on February 10th, seven months after the original incident.

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As we reported here on Planetsave, former officer Patrick Pogan, 23, has been arraigned under charges of falsifying records. We’ve now learned that he has plead not guilty to the charges in Manhattan court and could face up to 4 years in prison if convicted.

The Manhattan District Attorney said that the YouTube video footage along with witness accounts clearly contradicted Pogan’s claim that the cyclist was “obstructing government administration” and resisting arrest. The cyclist had charges dropped soon after the video became available.

Pogan was a rookie officer and he has still not given a legitimate explanation as to why he tackled the cyclist. We have learned that he was an offensive lineman on his high school football team — perhaps that could explain a bit?

The power of YouTube footage also came in handy recently with the case of a teenage boy who decided to upload footage of himself torturing a cat. Once the video spread, people from various message boards and social media websites traced the boy’s name and location, eventually resulting in his arrest. He and his brother, who filmed the abuse, have been charged with two counts of animal cruelty.

If you’re not one of the 2 million people who have seen the footage of the cyclist tackle, check it out below.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/oUkiyBVytRQ&hl=en&fs=1]

UPDATE: The New York Times is reporting that Pogan’s lawyer claims that Pogan “resigned” from the force and was not fired, contrary to the statement released by the police department. Also, I’ve made a small correction — it has only been about 7 months since the incident, not over 18 months. Silly me, I’ll have to use a calculator next time I try such a tricky math problem late at night.

Via: Daily News
Photo Credit: Doug Letterman on Flickr under Creative Commons license.

55 thoughts on “Cop Who Shoved Cyclist Fired by NYPD, Faces 4 Year Sentence”

  1. I’m a phone man by trade and have often been mistaken for a cop, had guns nearly drawn on me so I do not envy cops duties. I have several friends on local police forces but assholes like that heathen who knocked the cyclist off need to be shot by the next generation of punk assed 15 year olds.

    Both of these cops are a**holes who need an ass whooping by someone with the same mentality as them. Effing cowards, both of them. I hate to wish ill will on others but I hope both of those faggots get whats coming to them.

  2. This idiot bully should have been charged with assault as well; the videotape clearly supports that charge. The DA’s office wimped out.

  3. doug winspear

    well, living in a North American city where over half the space is taken up with cars, asphalt streets and parking lots, and the population of pedestrians and bikers have to fight over the remaining space, I admit to a certain bias, watching that guy get steamrolled by the big fat bully in blue. I think is was symbolic. America, the big bloated, armed bully, consuming a sizable chunk of the world’s resources to feed it’s addiction to gas guzzling metal fortresses on wheels. I’m glad someone’s watching the watchers.

  4. I have never seen that video before but WTF.

    I think the cop got sick of people driving around him so close but heres an idea, GET OUT OF THE ROAD!

  5. I don’t have a problem with the cop body checking that biker (nice shot btw LOL) but I do have a problem with the cop lying about it.

  6. what a f*cking douchebag. there are good cops and clearly there are sh!theads with badges. i am soooo glad this was caught on camera. you would think cops would be smarter than this? i hope this guy gets a cell with the sisters. i would like to see the youtube presentation of officer cockbag getting buggered during his stay in jail. i suggest using a broom handle as the guy probably has anal warts.

  7. I’m not going to overreact and say something stupid like “fuck cops”.

    But I will say fuck *bad* cops like this douche bag. They should punish him in the worst possible way: lock him in the room with a drunken, angry and bicurious Kayne West for 45 minutes.

  8. why the hell would the cop do something like that? he oughta be fired, have a mental evaluation and be put in jail for a couple months.

  9. The cops now days are hired for their IQs. Must be below average to apply. That way they don’t question authority and deem themselves above everyone else.

  10. This cop needs to be punished to the full extent of the law. Just think if no one had videotaped the incident, or if YouTube did not exist — the poor cyclist might have been convicted, ended up in jail. Career ruined, no chance of a decent job for the rest of his life. Oh, and that is if he isn’t as* rap*d to death in prison. Even if he wasn’t convicted, the charge would remain on record effectively destroying any promising career. And he’d probably be bankrupt of legal charges defending himself.

  11. How could this cop ever think he had the right to do this to someone? Because he is wearing his shitty uniform that anyone who has graduated high school can get. I hope he gets a year and some hefty fines to boot.

  12. Seriously, give me ONE GOOD REASON that the officer had for pacing up to the guy and then biffing him off of his bike before he could continue down the road with the other cyclists.

  13. If that cop goes to jail, he’s gonna P.C. up (protective custody, or “punk city”) to get around the cop hatred in there.

    So, the only thing he’ll have to worry about is the kitchen detail spitting in his in-room meals.

    And he’ll probably only serve a few months, anyway.

    Too bad. What he did was uncalled for. Too bad that people don’t have their cameras ALL the time, because you know that the same corrupt shit is happening somewhere in America at this moment, without damnable footage to back up the victim/suspects.

  14. RockyZ,

    It’s really your position that cops are free to tackle people who have done nothing other than participate in an organized protest? Wow.

    -Alex

  15. You guys really need to understand what Critical Mass is before you make a comment on this article. It is an organized event by cyclist to TAKE OVER public roads by blocking busy traffic on certain Fridays of each month. This does nothing but give a bad name to bicycle enthusiasts! Riding bicycles to/from work is a great way to reduce pollution and is a great exercise. Riding your bicycle in the middle of traffic preventing drivers from getting home to their families on time on a Friday night is NOT! What do these people want to prove? The majority of people doing this just want to look like a rebel and make a statement that they’re a complete douchebag.

    The cop did not act out of line. If I was a cop, I’d tackle one of these guys too. These people are the scum of our society.

  16. The only plausible explanation is that kid must have been giving the cop the finger as he approached him (off camera). Something like that to antagonize the cop.

    But yeah, good riddance.

  17. Yes, that’s my real name. Look me up, I’ll say this to you in person: FUCK COPS. Cops take an oath to uphold the law, to protect and serve the people living under their jurisdiction, etc. so they should be help to a higher standard than the general population when they commit crimes. This cop deserves to spend time behind bars, and I hope he gets to see firsthand the kind of treatment a cop gets in jail. He’s probably himself sent many innocent people to jail for stupid shit like smoking or selling cannabis.

  18. this story is another example of a nice dish of e-justice being served! man, i love it when pigs get pwned by the same power they claim to be upholding!!

  19. NYPD is the biggest organized mafia in US. Go on street level and see whats going on. They abuse, steal, torture and lie to judges on regular. Not to say there are no few good cops, but very few in NYPD. its been proven over and over and over…

  20. Can someone tell me why the cyclist, instead of slowing down, ducks his head as if expecting to run right by? Look at it. He ducks his head like he know he needs to avoid him. I wonder if he did something that the cop was going to stop him for, it sure doesn’t show what the cyclist did before the cop slams him. I mean doesn’t it sound bizarre that this guy body checks the cyclist in front of SO MANY PEOPLE?

  21. I hate these CM assholes! They clog up the streets and have NO permits or authority for their Unlawful demonstrations. The next time I see them I’m going to drive my hummer right down the middle of the road!

  22. the advancement of video technology is a two edged sword. in cases like this, i think (hope) it will eventually lead to people behaving better, knowing that somebody somewhere in the vicinity may be capturing their deeds on camera.

    however, the dark side will be also when ultimately anybody can record what anybody else is doing (big brother is the extreme of this) and those deeds which are done out of passion, out of goodness or out of conviction will not go unnoticed.

    gives new meaning to rockwell’s “i always feel like somebody’s watching me”

  23. “brian said on February 20th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
    I hate these biker pricks that don’t obey traffic laws and try to disrupt everyone’s day that are obeying laws, and just trying to get from one place to another. I ride a bike for fun, but a “shove” is nothing less than they deserved”

    brian you are just as bad as the punk cop who pulled this stunt, you coward.

  24. It’s a shame these things take so long as it effects the confidence of the people, but I’m glad justice is being served.

  25. Pogan should also face federal criminal charges for “Assault Under the Cover of Authority.”

    Watch your back, Pogan. There are hundreds of people out there that WILL crack your worthless skull open given the right opportunity (that does not include me. I will enjoy hearing about it, however).

  26. Yet another example of the problem with police in america today. Send this “cop” to jail. Power hungry cops throwing there weight around. No pun intended.

  27. I’m sure he’ll have it pretty easy behind bars. It’s not like inmates have anything against cops, especially crooked lying well-publicized ones.

  28. @ Tim – 4 years is for falsifying a police report, not the actual act of tackling the guy.

    @ Ryan – Clearly not all high school football players go around tackling people. I just meant he must have acquired the tackling skillz in high school. 🙂

  29. I hate these biker pricks that don’t obey traffic laws and try to disrupt everyone’s day that are obeying laws, and just trying to get from one place to another. I ride a bike for fun, but a “shove” is nothing less than they deserved.

  30. I’d like to think there’s a good reason for this, it was obviously intentional. I simply don’t understand why anyone (cop or not) would do this. It seems mean spirited and unjust. If it really is that transparent and there wasn’t a deeper reason here I hope besides being fired/resigning, I hope he’s brought up on charges and extra charges for abuse of authority.

  31. Playing Oline in HS football has nothing to do with this idiots behavior. He is a grown man who decided to put his brain on hold for a few seconds.

  32. That cop is a disgrace to every honest man who wears a badge. Hope everyone makes his transition back to civilian life as miserable as possible..

  33. I’m a peaceful dude, but I could see assaulting some critical massers, they are some of the most annoying people on the planet. I hate that damn thing.

  34. Sam F: I feel your pain, and agree with some of your opinions as well.

    Sean: I hope you get hunted down and charged with making terrorist threats, punk boy.

    It’s easy to be a bad ass on the interwebs. There’s no one there to kick yer ass!

  35. I am a 20 year U.S. veteran and far from tree hugger, I also believe this punk cop and others like him must be severely punished. These guys get to exercise great power and control over the rest of us so they must be held to a higher standard when they break the law and especially when they lie about it! Put that scumbag cop in jail for 10 years as a start!

  36. Wow. Guy is clearly trying to ride his bike around the cops in the middle of the road and cop clearly speeds up to take him down. Weird. Cop must’ve been having a bad day and had to take it out on somebody.

  37. I went to school with the cop…apparently not much changes. He bashed a kid’s head through a windshield after a sporting event. I can see him tackling someone for now reason…

  38. You saying tree hugging hippies can’t be hostile?

    Feck you – some of my best friends died at the hands of tree hugging hippies….

  39. i really hate cops that act this way; we have alot down here in tampa FL. if i could get away with it, i would put a bullet in every cops head that acted like this.

  40. Punk Cop, probably was a punk kid, will grow into a punk man. Punks get beat on, Get ready son. You’ll never outrun this incident, youre a shame to honest, hard working cops everywhere, and a black mark on our society. Dont drop the soap while youre on the inside. Check that, I hope you drop your soap regularly.

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