Article from: www.thenewspaper.com/news/14/1424.asp

11/3/2006

New York Cops Hassle Minister
New York police threaten to arrest a prominent minister over a parking ticket dispute.

New York City, New York police hassled a prominent Baptist minister and educator over parking ticket dispute. Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, 57, pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City and president of the State University of New York College at Old Westbury briefly parked his Cadillac at a bus stop at six in the evening on October 21.

The pastor's wife waited in the car while Rev. Butts picked up food from Jimbo's Hamburger Palace. Two police officers arrived, and Rev. Butts quickly moved his car to a legal space. He was handed a $115 parking ticket.

According to Rev. Butts, when he asked why the officers were ticketing him, they replied "Because you showed attitude." The officers threatened to arrest him in the course of the dispute. Rev. Butts complained to Mayor Bloomberg who said he would look into it.

"This is not an indictment of the New York City Police Department," Rev. Butts told the New York Daily News. "Most of the officers are good men and women who try to do a great job. But there are a few in the department who are just terrible, and they need to be dealt with."

Source: Revs outrage at cop (New York Daily News, 11/2/2006)

Permanent Link for this item
Return to Front Page