An NYPD cop was suspended without pay after video surfaced of her on the back of a dirt bike at a Brooklyn block party less than a week after the NYPD announced a crackdown to rid city streets of illegal dirt bikes and ATVs.
Uploaded to Instagram, the short video clip shows Donna Scott not wearing a helmet on the back of the bike in Greenpoint while hugging the rider, who performed stunts while other bikers and motorcyclists looked on.
On Sunday night, Scott was removed from the 83 Precinct stationhouse where she is assigned just hours after the video was posted.
A NYPD cop was suspended without pay after video surfaced of her on the back of a dirt bike at a Brooklyn block party
Uploaded to Instagram, the short video clip shows Donna Scott not wearing a helmet on the back of a bike in Greenpoint while hugging the rider, who performed stunts while other bikers and motorcyclists looked on
The rider posted a comment on Instagram coming to the defense of NYPD officer Donna Scott, who was suspended without pay Sunday evening
Scott joined the force in April 2019, according to police records.
The video came to light just three days after Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD officials held a press event in which confiscated illegal bikes and ATVs were lined up and crushed by a bulldozer at the Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island.
'We have a message for anyone driving an illegal dirt bike in New York City: We're gonna crush it,' de Blasio said after the stunt.
Dirt bikes and ATVs are not legally permitted on New York City streets, but that law has been largely ignored in recent months.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (right) was joined by NYPD officials on Thursday at a landfill in Staten Island to announce the crackdown of illegal dirt bikes and ATVs
A bulldozer crushes confiscated illegal bikes in at a Staten Island landfill
However, the rider involved in the latest incident came to Scott's defense on social media and complimented the cop on interacting with the riders.
He insisted that the group were using legal bikes during an event on a road that was blocked off.
'I have nothing but respect for the NYPD officer who took the time to break the ice by showing love to all of the bikers at a LEGAL event. All roads were blocked off, and we had the proper permits to ride,' he said on social media.
'Usually cops and bikers don't mix, but she actually took the time to get to know us and get a better understanding of the culture. The smile on her face says it all.
'This was a huge first step to bridging the gap between us. To the officer who took her time out to understand, thank you on behalf of the entire bike life community.
The NYC mayor issued this statement on Thursday
The mayor's office tweeted a video of a bulldozer crushing illegal confiscated dirt bikes
'Secondly, I would like the city of New York to know that I am a professional, and my bike is legal for stunt events.
'Furthermore, lets put our minds together and come up with a plan to create a space or track for the NYC bike community.'
His words did not convince one NYPD cop, who said the officer in the footage should have been suspended.
'Unbelievable. We're supposed to lead by example,' the unidentified cop told The New Post.
Illegal dirt bikes have been plaguing the streets of New York in recent months.
Over the summer, riders were seen on videos driving through crowds at Washington Square Park during wild weekend parties.
On July 18, four-year-old Jonathan Beauchamp was struck and injured by a man on a dirt bike in Queens.
And on June 30, A postal worker in Greeenpoint was attacked by a man riding a dirt bike.
Those caught riding a dirt bike or ATV in the city could be fined $500.
The city expects to confiscate and demolish as many as 3,000 dirt bikes this year, officials said.
'We will continue to be relentless in taking these bikes off the streets,' said Robert Martinez, the NYPD Deputy Commissioner of the Support Services Bureau.
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