New whistle-blowers are accusing the New York Police Department and city lawyers of destroying evidence showing that they operated on a quota system.
Lawyers for a class action lawsuit claiming the department uses quotas allege that the NYPD and city lawyers are shredding documents and deleting emails and text messages while refusing to comply with information requests related to the case, The New York Daily News reports.
The lawsuit alleges that the NYPD has issued 850,000 inappropriate summonses to meet their quotas.
While the NYPD has said it does not have information the plaintiffs requested, the plaintiffs say they have been able to obtain emails, texts and documents from third parties that allegedly prove the department is destroying the evidence.
One of the obtained text messages allegedly from a sergeant to an officer reads, “We missed seat belt number by 30 last week unacceptable. if need be u guys will go with me 2 traffic stat 2 explain why u missed.”
One email says, “It is ridiculous to have 50+ hours [overtime] with only one arrest” and another message says “We missed seat belt number by 30 last week unacceptable.”
The city says it hasn’t been able to find any of these communications, and the plaintiffs say that’s proof of foul play.
“The spoliation of this evidence clearly demonstrates Defendants’ bad-faith, grossly negligent, or at least, negligent destruction of relevant documents,” plaintiffs lawyer Elinor Sutton wrote in her letter.
City Attorney Qiana Smith-Williams wrote in a filed response that the allegations are dubious and that a settlement is still possible. If no settlement is reached, the case is expected to go to trial next year.
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