New York City, NY – In a rare review of actions by the city’s top police commanders, the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) has charged deputy chief Stephen Paragallo with abuse of authority for ordering the arrest of a 56-year-old Brooklyn woman during the 2004 Republican National Convention, because there was no probable cause to arrest her, and that the chief had acted “without due and reasonable care that his actions be proper.”.
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The board recommended a mild punishment, known as instruction, but Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, who has the final say, declined to administer that or any other discipline.
The civilian board, rarely examines the actions of chiefs, since patrol officers are far more likely to come into contact with members of the public. The convention, however, brought many chiefs onto the streets, they supervised hundreds of mass arrests in Lower Manhattan and at 16th Street.