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NYPD Detective Who Ranted at Uber Driver Goes Before CCRB, And Apologizes

By Murray Weiss | April 3, 2015 5:45pm
6th Precinct Uber Video
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YouTube/Sanjay Seth

MANHATTAN — NYPD Det. Patrick Cherry was quizzed by Civilian Complaint Review Board investigators Friday and admitted he was wrong to yell at an Uber driver in a rant caught on a viral video this week.

Cherry, who has been stripped of his gun and badge by Commissioner Bratton, admitted he flew off the handle when he tried to park his unmarked car on the West Side and was blocked by an Uber car.

But he told the probers that he only became upset when the driver gestured wildly, berrated him and then refused to give him his driver’s license and registration when the detective pulled him over to discuss the incident.

He admitted when the motorist refused his commands, he lost it. 

His tirade was captured on video by a passenger, and went viral. Cherry could be seen cursing and mocking the driver. "How long have you been in this country?” the detective demanded.

DNAinfo New York previously reported that Cherry was embarrassed and apologetic about his behavior.

He also appeared on WNBC New York to publicly say he was sorry, and that he would accept his punishment and try to regain his reputation.

"I apologize. I sincerely apologize," he said. "People shouldn't be treated that way. I let my emotions get the better of me and I was angry. My intention was to be courteous and then we got into an argument. There was no intention to berate or hurt deeply the driver."

Cherry told the network he pulled over the Uber driver to "clarify the problem” and that the driver “got smart” when Cherry asked for his license and registration.

"When I walked up, I was uptight. I wanted to know what the problem was. What did I do that was so wrong that I had to get chastised?" Cherry said. "I felt his driving actions were discourteous and impolite and when he stopped he said, 'I'm not going to give you anything."'

“I was upset that he refused to give me his license and registration and I yelled inappropriately," Cherry added. "That's not who I am, that's not who I've been and that's not how I conducted myself as an officer in New York City."

Bratton yanked Cherry from the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force and placed him on modified duty. His union has urged the public not to judge him solely by this incident.

“You can’t judge 3 minutes of tape that that is the common practice of the New York Police Department,” he continued in the interview. “At the end of the day it’s simply one individual who got angry."