On July 7, Cindy M. O’Pharrow was joined by her attorneys to announce the filing of her Notice of Claim and Official Civilian Complaint against the Suffolk County Police Department and members of that police force for subjecting her to assault and abuse on June 27, 2021. She also demanded that the names of all the officers involved be publicly disclosed. Mrs. O’Pharrow disclosed her intention to file a Federal Civil Rights Suit against the County of Suffolk, the Suffolk County Police Department and the officers involved for their actions and failures relating to her brutalization, abuse and mistreatment.
The incident took place on June 27, 2021 in the early morning hours in Dix Hills, where Mrs. O’Pharrow was rendering comfort and aid to a victim of a gunshot and was physically removed from the ambulance where she sat waiting to accompany the young man to the hospital, as had been requested by him and his mother. At no time did Mrs. O’Pharrow do anything or take any action which warranted the use of physical force or would provide any officer with the right to place his hands on Mrs. O’Pharrow, no less verbally abuse her and engage in action beyond any reasonable behavior of police officers.
Mrs. O’Pharrow sustained multiple injuries, including, but not limited to, shoulder and neck injuries and complications to existing medical conditions.
Mrs. O’Pharrow and her legal team, including her attorney Frederick K. Brewington, announced the filing of the Notice of Claim and called for an independent body to handle her Civilian Complaint and the Demand made to the Suffolk County District Attorney for prosecution for assault against the offending officer.