Report details NYPD corruption, misconduct charges

[The Watchmen]

The number of corruption and misconduct allegations against members of the NYPD rose slightly last year, but fewer police officers were charged with crimes and there was a drop in failed integrity tests, according to an Internal Affairs report obtained by Newsday.

The year-end tally pales in comparison to the report issued last year, which, comparing 2006 to 2005, detailed a 25 percent surge in arrests of officers, to 114 from 91, and a 138 percent rise in drug use among officers, with 19 officers failing drug tests compared with eight in 2005.

The NYPD didn't respond yesterday to a request for comment, but some police sources said the 2007 numbers suggest problems from 2006 are more an aberration than an indication NYPD has serious corruption issues.

"I don't really see any big problems here," said a source close to Chief of Internal Affairs Charles Campisi. "There are some problems, some bad apples, but there's not anything off the chart."

Overall, Internal Affairs investigated 1,074 corruption and serious misconduct allegations lodged last year against police officers and other members of the department, including school safety agents, crossing guards and civilian workers.

The biggest increase was for allegations involving narcotics, with 188 investigations opened, 16.8 percent more than the 161 investigated in 2006.

Nineteen officers failed drug tests in 2006. The number dropped to 14 last year, with nine of those involving steroids. And there were 25.4 percent less failed integrity tests in 2007. These tests are stings in which Internal Affairs investigators recreate a typical street encounter, such as a passerby turning in a wallet, then watch to see how an officer reacts. Arrests were also down, to 110 from 114, but suspensions rose to 148 from 142.

Newsday