NYPD brass is cracking down on cops leaking information to the press — warning officers that this behavior “will not be tolerated.”
Chief of Department Terence Monahan sent an internal video message to all department cops last Friday, warning them that whoever leaks photos and videos “will be subject to the strongest possible discipline.”
“It’s unbelievable to me that someone in our department would leak these videos and yet someone did,” a stern Monahan said in the video, which was obtained by The Post on Tuesday.
Monahan was referring to the leaked dramatic surveillance videos that showed the moment a cop-hating gunman opened fire inside the Bronx’s 41st Precinct stationhouse and wounded a lieutenant just hours after the suspect was caught on video ambushing a pair of cops, shooting and injuring one, earlier this month.
The chief begins the video message by saying how while he was at Lincoln Medical Center because of the “two assassination attempts on our fellow officers,” he “saw videos of the violent attacks circulating on social media” and noted that it was “before the suspect was even caught.”
“These were cops who were shot. Our family in blue. A reckless social media posting is not how we want their families to be notified,” Monahan said in the clip, which sources say was posted on the NYPD’s intranet.
Two officers were stripped of their guns and badges for leaking the graphic videos to the press, it was previously revealed.
“Making it possible for this material to be circulated by the media prematurely hinders our investigate efforts,” Monahan said in his video message. “I assure you the information leaked could have been detrimental to the prosecution of a violent criminal.”
He added that “video from security cameras is not reality TV.”
“It is not entertainment. Circulating it shows a lack of common sense and it’s a violation of the patrol guides,” said Monahan, who noted that it is “not the first time” the department has had leaks.
“Photos of crime scenes have made it to the media when investigations were only hours old,” Monahan stated. “Making this information public when it should not be can have very serious consequences.”
Monahan said “behavior like this will not be tolerated.”
“We should all be proud that the NYPD is known as one of the most professional police departments in the world, protecting it and your fellow officers should be your priority,” he said.
Monahan continued, “I have no doubt that many of you agree with me. For the few who don’t, let me be clear: Anyone who leaks information — photos, videos — will be subject to the strongest possible discipline.”
Over the weekend, The Post reported that members of the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau have been more focused on plugging leaks to the media instead of corrupt cops, according to sources.
“When was the last time IAB caught a dirty cop and made an arrest?” one insider had told The Post.
After photos showing the gory aftermath of a quadruple homicide from a dice-game shooting in Brooklyn were obtained by The Post’s police bureau chief in October, the IAB tried to identify the source — and went as far as subpoenaing Twitter for the journalist’s data.
The NYPD only withdrew its request after The Post’s lawyers contacted the department.