By
CHAU LAM AND ELLEN YAN
A
Suffolk County police sergeant accused of "targeting" Latinos in
traffic stops and stealing cash from them is facing official misconduct and
petty larceny charges.
Sixth
Precinct Sgt. Scott A. Greene was arrested during a sting operation after
stealing a $100 bill from a car driven by an undercover Latino officer, Suffolk
District Attorney Thomas Spota said Friday.
Greene,
a 25-year veteran, pulled over the vehicle and ordered the driver out,
authorities said.
Moments
later, the uniformed patrol officer was caught on videotape taking the money
from an envelope on the passenger seat, then folding the bill and stuffing it
in his left sleeve.
Greene,
50, of Shirley, who earned $147,200 in 2012, pleaded not guilty at his
arraignment Friday and was released without bail.
Suffolk
County Police Commissioner Edward Webber said he was shocked at the arrest.
"I
am particularly outraged by his conduct -- of one who is sworn to protect the
community and instead targeted those he perceived to be vulnerable," he
said.
So
far, investigators are looking into three cases in which Latino men claim a
police officer stole money from them after he pulled them over for traffic
infractions.
Spota
said he expects to file additional charges against Greene, including possible
hate crimes.
"We
strongly feel that this has occurred on a number of other occasions," the
district attorney said.
Greene's
attorney, Tim Mazzei of Blue Point, said he has known the sergeant and his wife
for many years and does not believe the officer targeted Latinos.
"I
know he's a decorated police officer and needless to say, these allegations are
very startling and very upsetting," Mazzei said.
Attempts
to reach Greene at his home were unsuccessful Friday.
Greene's
arrest comes after a December agreement among the U.S. Department of Justice,
Suffolk County and its police department to address allegations of
discriminatory policing against Latino immigrants. The deal came out of a federal
probe spurred by the 2008 killing in Patchogue of Ecuadorean immigrant Marcelo
Lucero in a hate incident.
Investigators
from Spota's office set up the Thursday night sting to catch Greene after two
Latino men complained to the Suffolk police Internal Affairs Bureau several
months ago about being stopped in the Farmingville-Medford area -- part of
Greene's beat.
Friday,
investigators were interviewing a third potential victim, Spota said.
The
sting featured an undercover officer driving a car with an intentionally
dangling rear license plate, Spota said.
Greene
followed the car on Granny Road in Coram and then pulled alongside at a red
light. Spota said the sergeant peered at the undercover officer before deciding
to pull the vehicle over.
"In
my view, he was looking at the driver because he was targeting Hispanics,"
Spota said.
During
the stop, Greene ordered the driver to stand behind his car, Spota said.
Authorities didn't say what reason Greene gave, if any, for stopping the
vehicle.
A
video camera hidden inside the undercover vehicle then caught Greene removing
the $100 bill from an envelope filled with $1,200 in marked bills.
Authorities
believe Greene singled out Latino drivers because some may be undocumented
immigrants who are reluctant to complain.
Spota
and Webber said they plan to meet with leaders in the Latino community and ask
them to reach out to residents who may have also been victimized.
A
spokesman for a coalition of Suffolk community advocates said the case
underscores the need for police reforms.
"If
this incident is true it lends credence to the complaints that Latinos are
targeted by the police for traffic stops and suggests that deliberate action
has to be taken" to strengthen ties with the community and correct those
practices, said Luis Valenzuela, director of the Long Island Immigrant
Alliance, an Amityville group.
