Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Police Sergeant Says Bike Bodyslam Cop Exceeded Orders
By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 23, 2010
Modified Apr 23, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Pogan
By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 23, 2010
Modified Apr 23, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Patrick Pogan, the former cop who was caught on tape slamming a cyclist off his bike during a 2008 Critical Mass ride, had been on the job only 11 days before the infamous incident. For that reason, he was part of a group of rookies instructed to simply observe the more experienced officers in Times Square on that fateful night, according to testimony from his superior, Sergeant Eric Perez. "I told them to let the detail enforce the laws," Perez said on the witness stand yesterday. "We wanted them there as backup, not to actually engage and stop."
During cross-examination, Perez backtracked somewhat, conceding that his orders may have been unclear. But the sergeant also testified that Pogan told him he had been rammed and knocked down by the cyclist, Christopher Long. And assistant DA Laura Millendorf, who spoke with Pogan about the arrest, recalled that Pogan insisted that Long "not only ignored his commands to stop, but also 'turned his bike around' to point and face the cop," the Post reports.
Millendorf told the jury, "I thought the act of charging head on into a police officer was egregious and should be the top count." And it was, though the charge against Long was later dropped after the video completely contradicted Pogan's version of the arrest. Pogan will have his turn on the witness stand today; if anyone wants to go, the trial is being held in Courtroom 733 at 111 Centre Street. (The courtroom has Wi-Fi and the judge is laid back about people using their laptops, although his popcorn policy is unclear.)
Tagged
bike bodyslam
bodyslam
christopher long
critical mass
nypd
patrick pogan
trial
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Queens man charged with hate crime at Jewish-owned bagel shop displaying Israeli flags
Prosecutors say the 22-year-old damaged property outside the Fresh Meadows shop twice in May.
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 19, 2026 at 6:07 p.m. ET
MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says
In some cases, the damage was “clearly not recent."
By
Stephen Nessen
News
MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says
In some cases, the damage was “clearly not recent."
By
Stephen Nessen
High-ranking NYC officials to testify in ex-buildings boss Eric Ulrich's corruption trial
By
David Brand
Mamdani launches new team to help NYers keep SNAP, Medicaid benefits
By
Caroline Lewis
Riders at 53rd St. station where man was fatally shot say they worry about gun violence
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .