Complaints by cops who allege that higher-ups have been fudging the crime stats has led to an internal investigation of Brooklyn's 77th precinct. The investigation started after the 77th had unusually high numbers of "unfounded cases," where cops respond to a report of crime and determine none was committed—but it escalated when cops started complaining about even more cases where they suspect the numbers were massaged.
According to sources, the current probe is focused on whether felony grand larcenies were bumped down to misdemeanors, and whether burglaries became criminal mischief complaints. Last year, burglaries, robberies, felony assaults increased by double digits, while grand larcenies and grand larceny auto fell by single digits. Much attention is being paid to Inspector John Cosgrove, who was precinct commander during the period in question. "An accusation surfaced that Cosgrove wasn't so much asleep at the switch, but that he encouraged the numbers [to] be manipulated," a source said.
Cops at the 77th precinct, which covers Crown Heights and Prospect Heights, have been disgruntled for some time now; back in November, memos from the station's call-room were leaked to the News, confirming yet again that the NYPD has been tacitly approving the use of ticket quotas.
This report follows up similar incidents at other Brooklyn precincts. Officer Adrian Schoolcraft of the 81st was one of the first to bring the accusations of crime stat manipulation to the public, and is currently suing the department for $50 million, with the hope of going to trial and getting the truth out. Officers at the 79th meanwhile threatened a summons boycott, which led to their hotheaded supervisor being transferred. At the start of the new year, NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly formed a committee to study and parse how the NYPD records crime statistics, which was met with a healthy dose of skepticism.
