Behind the Badge: In New York City Homeless Shelters, the Same ‘Peace Officers’ Abuse Residents
Previously unreleased disciplinary files expose officers who beat, slap, and pepper spray the residents they’re supposed to protect. Most are back at work within a month.
This story was published in partnership with MuckRock News.
Reporting for this story was supported by the Fund for Investigative Journalism.
“In the academy, there was not much training on how to detain someone.”
UPDATE: April 18, 2024 — This story has been updated to reflect the April 2024 DHS peace officer head count of 480, which a department spokesperson provided after publication. Previously, the story listed 700 officers, the 2018 number.
This story has also been updated to include a statement a DHS spokesperson sent after publication.
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