Glenn Grays, 27, of East New York, says he was driving along President St. in Crown Heights on March 17 when an unmarked police car nearly hit his mail truck.
3/22/16 Top NYPD brass should deliver a strong rebuke to four officers and a lieutenant who cuffed an on-duty postal worker last week because he shouted at them, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said Tuesday.
Glenn Grays, 27, of East New York, says he was driving along President St. in Crown Heights on March 17 when an unmarked police car nearly hit his mail truck.
Frustrated, the postal worker shouted something out of his window at the unmarked police car — which promptly stopped, backed up and disgorged four plainclothes cops and a lieutenant.
From that point on, Grays’ run-in with the plainclothes police was captured on cellphone video by bystanders, who can be heard repeatedly asking the officers why the mailman was stopped.
The 27-year-old postal worker was carrying a large brown cardboard box when police approached him.
The video shows the cops asking him for identification, and Grays answers that it’s in his mail truck.
He was cuffed and put in the back of the unmarked vehicle, which then drove away — leaving the postal van unattended. read more from NY Daily News
Adams said the officers made the arrest shortly after Grays told them off for nearly hitting him with their unmarked police car, which passed him as he was trying to cross President Street near Franklin Avenue on his mail route last Thursday.
“It is not a crime for someone to voice outrage after almost being struck by a vehicle,” Adams said, adding that “members of the New York City Police Department” should be aware that their actions are likely to end up on video nowadays.
Adams Demands NYPD Investigate Video of On-Duty Postal Worker Arrest
4 Cops Forcefully Arrest Black Brooklyn Mailman
At the beginning of the video, Grays, standing in a doorway, is approached by the officers, who ask for his ID.
“My ID’s right there on the side of the truck,” Grays says.
“Let’s go get your ID,” an officer says, motioning to the truck. But Gray declines, saying that he is delivering his packages. Shortly afterward, the officers begin to handcuff him.
One officer can be heard telling Grays to “stop resisting” as he is being handcuffed.
“I’m not resisting,” Grays says in a frustrated tone.
“Yes, you are,” the officer says. “Stop resisting.”
A second officer says to Grays, “You’re going to get hurt unless you give me your f*cking hand.”
This is a total abuse of power by these officers
Where is the PBA Patrick Lynch on this latest incident, I guess he would have done the same thing, because no cop has ever done anything wrong in his eyes, SMH!!
Are the police so thin-skinned in New York City that they can’t even stand some minor criticism and still be on their way? no they have to back up and arrest someone purely out of some sense that where the cops and we do what we want, who watches the Watchers?
Hey, you:
You are the uneducated one. And apparently so are these idiot cops. They didn’t even have the authority to remove him from the scene. While he’s on duty, he is a FEDERAL EMPLOYEE, which puts him out of their jurisdiction. Yes, they could cuff him, arrest him, detain him, etc., however they COULD NOT transport him anywhere, not even across the street. Once they did that, they personally became responsible for all of the contents inside of the truck, and the truck itself. I’m sure the Postal Inspectors will have a field day with this case. Those cops better get ready…… some new a-holes are about to get ripped.
Hey Thomas Lytle, the comment below was NOT directed towards you, it was directed towards bo hunk. My mistake.
Fire the racist cops.
how come you never see this poor behavior with United Parcel Service Drivers or Verizon Telephone Drivers…..always the Postal Circus morons having run ins with the PO PO in NYC………uneducated workers on the govt plantation have a entitlement mental problem. fire the bum, a poor representative for any major company. only at the postal circus kiddies.
This is a daily occurrence in New York City, where NYPD finest believe that they are above the law. They are the first one we call upon a situation. However they are also the ones that we all avoid as much as possible, you never know what will they do if you just try to voice your opinion.
These cops are stupid!! First off…mail carriers are Federal employees… Thus you can’t arrest them…the federal police have to…you have procedures that you have to go through…and the post master general has to be informed so that the mail truck is not left in attended!! Fucking POS’s!!! Uggghhhhh…and they can now be charged with attempted murder of a federal employee… Just like if a citizen hits a police car…what’s good for the goose!!!
Just saying is an idiot.
Why when they try and cuff him does he say wait my wife is inside? And the cop says oh now its your wife inside?
The Post office will not stand by the employees, they will say it was his fault. That’s how they operate. They try to keep a low profile. What that guy should do is file charges with the Justice Department for unlawful arrest. I would and I worked for the Post office at one time. When the Justice Department start asking questions then people will start to see how the New York police work.
Dear The Mail man I hate to inform you that Postal Employees are in fact Federal employees. Like it or not. Now on to better things. Fire the Gestapo NYC police, and place them in the joint. Next to B. Madoff. Three meals a day, time in the exercise yard, job training, and time with fellow inmates.
You’re stupid…not ignorant, but stupid. Please don’t pass yourself off as a cop if you don’t really know the law. Mail trucks USPS, FedEx, etc. can legally double park to drop off a package. Secondly, he never said he didn’t have an i.d. on his person, he referred to the truck as his I.d. Because he’s in a postal uniform be driving a postal truck while delivering a package…wouldn’t he be a postal worker. Also, armed with all of that info…why would you need to ask. These cops wanted to show him who’s the boss…and they harrassed this man. They wrongly assumed that once they ran his info, he would have a record or warrant or find something to charge him with. But what they didn’t factor in, is that he is a federal postal worker. And the post office doesn’t hire criminals!! Do your damn homework stupid!!
The title says forcefully arrested, which he was. You are the only one who said excessive force. You can make all of the ignorant excuses you want, they were wrong. There us no excuse for such brazen abuse of authority. I pray they are all terminated and adjudicated!! Hopefully one day a bunch if rogue officers will invade your home and abuse you too.
There was no excessive force so to state this in the title “forcefully arrested” is a bias view. If anything the mail carrier is in trouble because when asked for his I.D. his response is ” it is the truck “. The officer appeared to not hear correctly but did say lets get your I.D in the truck. The mail carrier refused. When this individual
refused to show his I.D. he is in violation of “code of conduct” policies for postal employees. He is not wearing a postal badge. He is also driving a postal vehicle but doesn’t have a drivers license on his person to show as I.D. plus he was double parked. . If I look in my rear view mirror and I see someone in the middle of the street ranting and grasping a package underneath his arm it is my duty as a police officer to stop my vehicle and approach this person. If when I approach this individual and I ask him for I.D., if he then becomes agitated I have to be suspicious. It is not like I asked him to bend over and let me enter him. So yes I would then arrest him. He is also a federal employee he is suppose to cooperate with law enforcement. This is not THUG-LIFE this is REAL- LIFE he is expected to behave in a manner that projects the post office in a positive light. If I were his supervisor he will receive disciplinary action
Are you f###ing serious? What happened to the 4th Amendment right? Anybody can walk up to you and demand to see your ID and it would be OK? AFAIK, those 4 cops look like thugs when they’re not in uniforms.
Are you a LEO or you’re just pretending to know how a real one would act?
He did not resist so how much more cooperation you want from him? Cuff himself and book himself to jail?
How would you know? Were you there? It seems that most mail carriers while operating a vehicle and delivering mail do not like to carry their wallet/personal information on them in certain high risk areas for fear of being rob. So stop judging and get your facts right. It’s so sad that people like you are prejudice and racist. Why don’t you walk in this hard working and law abiding man’s shoes or be black for a day and see how it feels like to be harassed and humiliated by these bullying, bias and lying cops, that think they are untouchable and especially towards minority people. You need to check your grammar and get the facts rights before voicing your opinion. Thank you the devil advocate. Some of these cops are crazy.
I guess you miss the miss the point why was he approached,it like being stopped and ask for your papers.Now black people can’t get mad.
Buddy sounds like you’ve gone fishing
He must be lawfully detained to produce I.D. What crime did he commit?
This is your typical contempt of cop. He has every right to speak his mind if they almost hit him with their police car. Suspicious of what?? This is not a Terry stop there is no RAS (reasonable suspicion of a crime ). He is in uniform and driving a government issued vehicle. Cops are way out of line.
Stop and frisk at is best
They cant stop the delivery of mail… Its against federal law… They are just state level pigs… Postal police should have been called…
What were those 4 cops going to say to Postal Police?
– He hurt my feeling!
I’ve seen the Postal Police arrest police men on duty ,you don’t mess with the Postal Police.
Postal Police are only glorified security guards who walk employees off the floor with the inspectors and don’t have the same law enforcement training as city cops.
Well, taxpayers, another payday for a citizen is on the way. You have the right to stand up for yourself. You have the right to say what you wish. See…cops have it wrong. They are TAXPAYER’S EMPLOYEES not public employers.
When we force them to take out malpractice insurance and have to stand for these judgments, you’ll see them make a better decision
“NYPD Commissioner Slams Ted Cruz Again Over Muslim Patrols Comments”
Forget Cruz, get your Officers Under Control !
Completely out of control. These cops are on a power trip and you best not get in their way. Want to talk about thugs, they are the ones wearing badges. Or in this case hiding them and arresting folks for nothing. He probably will be disciplined as well for leaving his mail truck unattended. Damn shame. This has got to change!
Sissy cops acting like punk assed bitches.
Repremend them, hell! Fire them! Unlawful arrests potentially ruin lives, we need zero tolerance of stupid cops. Especially in new york. Remember Garner and alledged loosey cigs? How about the unconstitutional stop and frisk program?
Nypd is a criminal gang and they need to be reeducated. How do i know? I was a cop for 18 years. Sure i made mistakes, made bad calls and i paid for them and learned from them. Todays police are under trained and under supervised.
The post office has Postal police who are normally notified if there is an issue involving a postal employee. Why weren’t they notified? I’m sure this is not the last time we’ll hear about this.
I sure hope the Postal Inspector makes an example out of this abuse. Lock these lawless thugs away for their crimes against a federal employee, and their wonton disregard for the people’s property that was in the care and custody of the federal government, until these jack boot thugs removed it from the feds control and negligently left it in the street.
Who cares about the big mouthed letter carrier. Just worked 14 hours on my non service day. Pay me.
Tonya, you need a reality check concerning the NYPD! Just the fact that they confronted him was a provocation tactic to arrest him whether he complied or not. Get real!
Stop making excuses for these lawless thugs. Cops can’t just walk up to any and everyone and demand identification. You guys lay down with your asses up instead of protecting your rights. I bet you submit to any request to search you vehicles too don’t you?
Pretty simple to comply and go get your ID from the mail truck as asked and none of this would have happened.
This video does not show what led up to this point in the confrontation, but if it was for yelling something at the police then I think that is a bit ridiculous to stop someone for…..
Would be nice if all the BS would just stop already!
I thought all NEW Yorkers yelled at everyone. HEY! FORGET ABOUT IT! NO SOUP FOR YOU. Yes maybe too much Seinfeld. Seriously though this is tragic. Especially if the mail man gets fired. Police…sigh!
I so agree! And it’s also important to consider that the police (deliberately!) look pretty scruffy. So, in that sense, they can’t expect quite the same level of deference they demand, and usually get, in uniform.
While reviewing the tape it’s more than apparent these three undercover cops were upset. Just look at the body language.
I really think these three officers should be charged. I am not even sure if a city level has jurisdiction to aprehend the mail carrier.
they also took the package he was trying to deliver! and then they leave the truck unattended? shoot the freaking cops and the Lt. need to be busted down in rank or at least have a strong letter put into the perm file.
I know from lots of personal viewing and seeing cops every day that they can be the worst inconsiderate drivers on the streets. I am not surprised the carrier got cut off, and I believe him. After all, cops cover each other’s asses and it’s their word against him.
I see them rarely use a turn signal, make abrupt lane changes and run lights only to see them later just driving around. They block my boxes and I have to ask them to move.
Not to mention they drive like bats out of Hell.
My city is infested with gangs, thugs, meth freaks and the like, being a blue collar town that attracts lots of the wrong element. I know police are at risk every day, but they are supposed to represent the law and good citizenship examples. However, they are drunk on their own power, and we all know they can be as corrupt as anybody. There’s no excuse for them acting like jerks.
I’m glad I don’t live in the town I’m describing where I work. My little suburb is quiet and unless you speed through town, you’re pretty much left alone. The USPS police should be looking into this matter, but good luck. The poor guy will probably get canned.
Sounds familiar no shouting or taking work diligently carriers
Abuse of authority!! These cops needed some real discipline , disgusting!! Waste of taxpayers money!!!
Jack booted thugs.
Serpico, where are you ?
Do a search on “This American Life” about how the NYPD conducts it’s business.
Why doesn’t the federal prosecutor in NYC have them charges, attacking postal worker is still a federal crime.
OK people, let’s get serious here. This letter carrier was the alleged king pin of a master group of do-gooders who ran around the city with their Robin Hood antics. He was under surveillance for a while and the lieutenant and his team decided to act today. The driving near-miss was a ruse to incite his anger.
He will certainly think twice about being respectful of the police from today, now wouldn’t he.
And all us regular Joes and Janes are on notice not to make angry remarks to passing cars…imagine if the folks were not citizens who vowed to protect and serve and had pulled a weapon in a moment of road rage…
Just imagine that… phew! So let’s be thankful.
Government employee! NYPD not the brightest, apparently.
Please contribute to the PBA. I can’t use the four letter words what I f–k–g think of them.
So sad out of control police strike again… Let’s recap I’m a postal worker driving postal vehicle u almost hit me while in truck, I say @#$%& because I don’t know you the police….I get arrested… Freedom of speech vs dumb azzz police….. Call 1800 I’m rich b…..
Typical action by out of control cops. The cops were where in the wrong, and the carrier was picked up by the Nazis. Small wonder many people don’t like the police! The cops should become ex cops. Maybe they can then become Postal CCA’s. Then they too can get picked up for nothing charges!
The Inspector General should have a meeting with the NYPD commissioner on this and the cops should be reprimanded for not securing the mail truck and calling the post office to have someone take possession of it.
Well said
Federal employee or not is completely irrelevant. If the arrest was justified, then it was justified. If it wasnt, it wasnt.
Being a federal employee does not exempt you from being arrested.
A letter carrier is a federal employee whose job enjoys unique constitutional privileges and protection and which, purely on a judicial level, places a city or state level employee (cop) in this situation way out of line. I think a simple statement from the letter carrier that he is a federal employee and that they need to call his station manager first would have sufficed.
Wrong we are not federal employees
YES you are. Do you have Federal health benefits and Federal TSP? Is your retirement issued through OPM? Are your injury claims handled by the DOL? Dont you get every Federal holiday off? Just because we are not Federally funded doesn’t mean we are not Federal employees. Don’t show your ignorance.
Yes we are !
You’re an overpaid custodian.
With the thuggist attitude, do you think they would allow him a phone call? Do you know why one of the thugs kept telling him to not resist when we saw that he was not resisting?
Where is the “just cause” in this case?
He was arrested “just because”.
What you may not know is that they were wrong on a bunch of levels and delaying the mail carries a five year jail term if the postal inspector want to go after the cops
You see people yelling at each other all the time for driving like idiots. When do they ever get arrested? Only when it’s at the police? And where is there a law against that? Sounds like abuse of power to me.
Not a mistake and not illegal. The cops’ mistakes were many, from driving badly to getting upset at him yelling to arresting him.
The carrier should have kept his mouth shut, and obeyed the officer’s orders. These people love to play the Race Card!
There’s no law against saying ANYTHING to the police. It’s people such as yourself agreeing with this behavior that allows it to continue. The above the law attitude of this people cost the city and taxpayers. What needs to happen is they should start docking a portion of the offenders pay and the bullying would cease.
Because cops always “go after” other cops… not.
The Postal Inspectors need to do their job and arrest these New York City Police officers on a number of obvious charges. They need a clear line to be drawn. These officers clearly stepped over the line when it comes to the U.S. Government.
The letter carrier should sue the bastards. Nothing more then abuse of authority,no just cause.Get a lawyer
The mail carrier’s biggest mistake was running his mouth.
You see people yelling at each other all the time for driving like idiots. When do they ever get arrested? Only when it’s at the police? And where is there a law against that? Sounds like abuse of power to me.
Agreed. But unfortunately in NYC, these cops only react to ALL ‘black men’ a certain way. Doesn’t matter if you are dressed in a nice suit, a worker’s uniform, or a hoodie.
All they see is…. Black. Male. Threat. Reaching. For. My. Gun. OMG. My. Life’s. In. Danger. Must. Shoot. To. Kill…
even if they are talking to Denzel Washington, or Barak O.
Who the hell cares what color. He’s a postal worker.
Would you, if you almost get killed by a reckless driver?
Listen to this song, another incident on an on-duty Postal Employee, both black. The mail left unguarded and the mail employee kidnapped by the NYPD.