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Of The City Of New York, Incorporated

  

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

April 11, 2013
VIAHAND

Commissioner James P. O?Neill
New York City Police Department
One Police Plaza

New York, NY 10038

Re: BuzzFeed News Disclosure of Stolen Police Personnel Records

Dear Commissioner O?Neill:

As you know, we understand BuzzFeed News is in possession of con?dential disciplinary
?les relating to hundreds of New York City police of?cers (the ?Con?dential Files?) that likely
have been stolen or misappropriated from the NYPD. These ?les?which were disclosed to
BuzzFeed News in clear violation of both Civil Rights Law and City Charter 
the basis for the March 5, 2018 article entitled ?Busted: The 
Secret Files.? In my letter of March 22, 2018, I asked you to provide the status of the
Department?s investigation into this leak, but have received no response.

We now understand that BuzzFeed News intends to publish the entirety of the
Con?dential Files on the intemet as early as today. Speci?cally, BuzzFeed News will publish a
searchable database of NYPD disciplinary records, which will contain personnel orders relating
to approximately 1,800 NYPD employees. The database will include the police of?cer?s 
name; tax ID number; (0) case number; charges and speci?cations; penalty; and 
command.

In addition to the searchable database, BuzzFeed News intends to publish an
accompanying story with its analysis of the Con?dential Files. We understand that BuzzFeed
News further intends to highlight the disciplinary cases of at least two New York City police
of?cers that it will speci?cally identify.

There is no dispute that the leak of these Con?dential Files maintained by the Department
violates both State law (Civil Rights Law and City law (City Charter 2604(b)(4), which
precludes the public disclosure of ?con?dential information?). And as you know, publishing

125 Broad Street New York, N.Y 10004-2400 212-233-5531

these illegally-obtained documents will undoubtedly put New York City police of?cers in grave
danger.

In the interest of ensuring our members? safety, a goal which we assume the Department
shares, we demand that the Department and City immediately take all possible steps to prevent
BuzzFeed?s disclosure of the stolen Con?dential Files including, but not limited to, seeking an
injunction in court.

As the Con?dential Files at issue could be published as early as today, please let us know
by close-of-business what actions will be taken to prevent this unprecedented violation of the
rights of New York City police of?cers. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Patrick 

00:

Lawrence Byme, Deputy Commissioner for Legal Matters (by email and hand)
John Beirne, Deputy Commissioner for Labor Relations (by email and hand)