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Hipster Cop: "I Will Reveal That I Wear Skinny Jeans Off-Duty"
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Oct 19, 2011
Modified Feb 23, 2017
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Oct 19, 2011
Modified Feb 23, 2017
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Despite contacting "Hipster Cop" and the DCPI to conduct a proper interview, and tapping sources close to Detective Rick Lee in the 1st Precinct, the Gray Lady scored the exclusive with everyone's favorite internet meme. What does their Public Editor think about the Times trading signed copies of Neon Indian's most recent 7" for access?
Lee, who is 45 years old and does in fact reside in Staten Island, says, "I will reveal that I wear skinny jeans off-duty. I'm into fashion, always have been," adding that his suits are tailored to his specifications thanks to a friend who works for Ralph Lauren. On his internet fame, Lee says, "I think it's funny. I'm not a blog guy, so I haven't really seen a lot of the hipster mentions." We KNEW he was more of an Olivetti Manual kind of guy!
As a Community Affairs Detective in the precinct where the Occupy Wall Street protests have been, Lee is a busy man: he works overtime, seven days a week to maintain a dialogue between the police and the protesters, to "protect everybody's rights." Speaking to a group in Zuccotti Park yesterday, Lee said, "It's nothing personal—we just want you to stay safe. Not everybody likes us. Yes, 39 percent of my paycheck is taken out in taxes, so we have a lot in common."
Before he was a police officer, Lee worked as a carpenter "and had shoulder length hair." His father, a retired FDNY fireman, thought he should join the NYPD, so he did when he was 25. The Times notes that he's four months from retirement eligibility. "Maybe I'll grow my hair long again and join these guys," Lee says. But if Occupy Wall Street is no longer in Zuccotti Park in four months, we'd be happy just to see him behind the bar at Union Pool.
Tagged
1st precinct
gray lady
hipster cop
nypd
nytimes
occupy wall street
staten island
union pool
Zuccotti Park
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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