Angel Feliciano v County of Suffolk (NY)
Lawsuit Claims Racially-Motivated Traffic Stops in Suffolk County, NY
A class action lawsuit has been filed in the Eastern District Court of New York against Suffolk County (NY) for violations of the New York State Human Rights Law for racially-related traffic stops by Suffolk County police officers. Class members seek declaratory, injunctive relief as well as damages, attorneys' fees and costs of the litigation.
Specifically, the complaint alleges that the Suffolk County Police Department engaged in a continuing pattern and practice of race-based stops, searches, wrongful detentions, false imprisonment, and other harassing behavior of non-white motorists who traveled throughout Suffolk County, New York.
The lead plaintiff, Angel Feliciano, ironically, is a veteran police officer with the New York City Police Department who was stopped by Suffolk County Police in March of 2004, a few blocks from his home. They ran his plates and asked him what he was doing in the area. There was no other reason to stop or detain Feliciano. Once he told them that he was a police officer, they let him proceed home. In May of 2004, a similar incident occurred.
A local television station has reported on similar racially-based stops throughout Suffolk County and the Suffolk County Police Commissioner has denied any racial profiling by the Department.
