An off-duty NYPD officer with a history of alleged domestic violence and proven complaints of on-duty misconduct was arrested on Monday night for beating and pulling a gun on his girlfriend, police said.
Officer Eduardo Vite, a cop in East Harlem's 25th precinct, was arrested in Brooklyn and charged with assault, menacing, and criminal mischief. Vite's girlfriend told police that he pressed his gun to her neck this past summer, and punched her in the back earlier this month.
Police were called to the home on Monday after the officer broke down the woman's door and tossed her belongings around the room, according to a department spokesperson.
Vite was previously arrested in 2014 for allegedly threatening a woman with knives inside his Manhattan home. "Which one would you like on you tonight?" he allegedly asked the woman, while gesturing to an assortment of kitchen knives, according to court documents.
The officer lost his temper again a few weeks later, wrecking two doors inside his home, the woman said. He was charged with criminal mischief, harassment, and menacing. Despite the charges, Vite was able to keep his job on the force.
(A spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to questions about the outcome of that case).
Records show that the Civilian Complaint Review Board has investigated eight separate complaints of misconduct against Vite since 2009. In one instance, which the CCRB was able to substantiate, he allegedly abused his authority against a 45-year-old woman.
The oversight board recommended the officer face discipline for the misconduct, but the NYPD declined to take action before the statute of limitations expired.
A spokesperson for the NYPD said that Vite remained on the force as of Tuesday. He is now facing an internal investigation for his latest allegation of domestic assault.
Studies have shown that incidents of domestic violence are two to four times higher in the law-enforcement community than in the general population.
According to the National Center for Women and Policing, "even officers who are found guilty of domestic violence are unlikely to be fired, arrested, or referred for prosecution, raising concern that those who are tasked with enforcing the law cannot effectively police themselves."
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, there is help available 24 hours a day at the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) and the NYC Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-621-HOPE). Victims of domestic violence may receive temporary housing, emergency shelter and supportive services for themselves and their children from the city. More information can be found here.
