FUN AND GAMES IN THE NYPD

'Panties' cop: The NYPD tried to have me committed

By Kerry Burke and Thomas Tracy

New York Daily News
January 12, 2019

The NYPD is trying to have a detective who accused his boss of stuffing her panties into his mouth committed to a psychiatric ward, the Daily News has learned.

Detective Victor Falcon was stripped of his gun and badge as a phalanx of cops showed up at his Brooklyn home Friday night demanding he undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

The bizarre move had shades of Adrian Schoolcraft, a former NYPD cop who was thrown in a psych ward for blowing the whistle on the department’s quota system in 2009.

“They want to send me to a psychiatric facility for 30 days,” Falcon, 35, told the Daily News in an exclusive interview. “This is because of the complaints I made. They do this to discredit cops.”

“They’re trying to do an Adrian Schoolcraft on me,” he said. “When I get out I’ll have nothing.”

In October, Falcon filed a formal complaint against his supervisor at the 72nd Precinct, Sgt. Ann Marie Guerra, who he said rubbed her underwear in his face. The 13-year NYPD veteran said Guerra went on the offensive after he complained about her scattering her skivvies around the unisex locker room and on the shower door in the detective squad office.

Falcon also said that Guerra refused to switch his shift so he could have more time with his child and denied overtime requests.

Guerra was transferred to a cushy Manhattan precinct as the NYPD investigates Falcon’s claims.

Life has been less than comfortable for Falcon, who says he has been treated like a pariah since his allegations were made.

Falcon says that another NYPD sergeant is now trailing him at work to keep tabs on his activities.

He complained about his shadow earlier this week, he says, only to be met by cops at his home Friday.

Falcon said he had chest pains and admitted to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, instead of allowing his fellow officers to take him there.

A source with knowledge of the case said several cops showed up the hospital and told doctors they were worried about Falcon’s safety and that he should be held for observation.

But the hospital would not rubber-stamp the request and said they would “independently evaluate him,” the source said.

Doctors gave him a psychiatric evaluation, found him sane and discharged him early Saturday.

Ten years ago, a similar move was pulled on Schoolcraft, who claimed he was hospitalized after his brothers in blue barged into his Queens home and declared him emotionally disturbed. He said it was because he was a whistleblower and sued the city. Schoolcraft’s case was settled in 2015 for $600,000.

“It’s painfully obvious what’s happening he’s been targeted for the complaints he made about the sexual harassment,” Falcon’s attorney, Seamus Barrett, said. “Thankfully had the presence of mind to admit himself to the hospital instead of letting himself being taking advantage of.”

“He’s being railroaded for following written department procedure,” Barrett said “They took his gun and shield and tried to search is apartment on the basis that he’s emotionally unstable.”

“It’s a complete farce,” the attorney said. “He’s a marked man now.”

The NYPD did not immediately return a request for comment.

Neighbors confirmed that at least three detectives and a handful of city emergency medical technicians showed up at Falcon’s apartment Friday night.

“The cops said, ‘We just have someone who is ill,’” said one neighbor who wished not to be named. “(Falcon’s) always been a good guy, such a gentleman. We never knew he was a detective.”

When Falcon’s girlfriend arrived at her beau’s home the cops “were already in the apartment,” she said.

“There were two detectives and two officers in uniform,” said the woman, who wished not to be named. “They said they wanted him to see a psych doctor to make sure he was OK.”

“You know I’m OK,” Falcon responded, according to his girlfriend.

“One of them said, ‘I know you’re OK, but my orders are to come get you,” she recalled. “He’s being harassed because of the complaints he made, first by that woman then by everybody in the department. The stress is killing him.”