March 5, 2014 by Bob Livingston
New York City policemen are under no obligation to protect the city’s denizens from harm. So says the city in response to a lawsuit by a man who was attacked on the subway by a man with a knife.
Joseph Lozito said police officers Terrance Howell and Tamara Taylor, who were on the subway at the same time, ignored Maksim Gelman as he stormed about the subway in a drug-fueled rage. They even dismissed other passengers who tried to warn them about Gelman’s actions.
Lozito identified Gelman as the man who approached him telling him he was going to die before plunging a knife into Lozito’s face. Lozito wrestled Gelman to the ground — enduring multiple stab wounds to the back of the head while doing so — and held him until Howell tapped him on the shoulder and told him to get up.
Howell claims — and the city is backing him — that it was he who subdued Gelman. Lozito sued the city saying the officers’ lack of action was to blame for the attack.
The city is refusing to settle on the grounds that its officers had no duty to protect train passengers, but “that doesn’t detract from the Police Department’s public safety mission.”
It is cliché to say that when seconds count, police are only minutes away. But it appears it doesn’t matter whether police are near or far. In an increasing number of cases, it’s obvious police care more about their own safety than the public they claim they want “to protect and serve.”
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If the police are not their to do the traditional jobs of policing (protecting and serving the public, enforcing laws wisely) at the salary they have, all the perks, and all the training the public has paid for, it is time to disband them and replace them with a public or private agency that will.
The article gets it right: today's typical police officer is more worried about his safety and welfare than he is about following his oath of office and the inherent duties to the public.
This is just amazing, and quite sickening. How come there wasn't an APB on this Gelman? All officers should have been on the lookout for him after a 28 hour rampage. Look at Lozito's head injuries, severe, and it's a wonder he's alive after that brutal attack. Some lawyer/s are going to have a real bonanza on this one, into the Millions of dollars for damages easily. Thanks easy.
Pull up court case Warren vs DC and that's an apellate court ruling.Unbelievable
I don't know if we should even go there, after this episode, but, if you can give me a link easy, okay with me. Lozito is going to be a very rich dude imho. May take a few years, but, oh my golly miss molly! This is arrogance and police ignorance taken to the max. Btw, a "denizen" is a human or animal dweller, per definition. Is not any human occupying any subway a dweller, and entitled to protections by police, the same as if in their home or the street? Those two cops would be fired immediately if I were their superior.
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