New York Cop Arrested For Allegedly Sending Menacing Text Messages She Accused Colleagues Of Sending

Emily Hirshowitz, a 36-year-old police officer from the Ossining Police Department in New York, has been arrested after investigators alleged that she was the one responsible for sending herself menacing text messages, despite her previous complaints about receiving them from her colleagues.

Hirshowitz was charged with four counts of third-degree falsely reporting an incident and three counts of first-degree filing a false instrument at the Westchester District Attorney's Office.

The latter charge is a felony and accuses her of submitting a fraudulent report intentionally.

The investigation revealed that starting in May of 2022, Hirshowitz had filed a report with the District Attorney's office, claiming that she was receiving anonymous threatening text messages from multiple phone numbers.

She claimed that "a fellow police officer or multiple police officers at my department are involved," according to court documents obtained by The Journal News.

In July and August, Emily Hirshowitz lodged additional complaints, providing investigators with screenshots of text messages that contained profanity-laden content.

These messages included explicit and distressing language, urging her to take her own life and denigrating her with insults such as "useless," "dumb [expletive]," and "reject."

Concerned by the escalating and menacing nature of the messages, local authorities, including the police and other officials, became alarmed.

They collaborated with the District Attorney's office to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. However, on Aug. 12, Hirshowitz expressed her desire to withdraw her complaint, leading to a shift in the investigation's focus.

Despite Emily Hirshowitz's attempt to withdraw her complaint, her superiors remained concerned about the situation.

On Aug. 23, Ossining Police Chief Kevin Sylvester organized a department-wide meeting to address the matter.

The meeting included the participation of Ossining's mayor and other local officials, as reported by The Journal News.

During the course of the investigation, suspicions surrounding Hirshowitz began to arise swiftly.

By October, investigators had obtained a search warrant to access her phone and digital accounts, indicating a shift in focus toward her involvement in the alleged text message incidents.

Based on the available evidence, prosecutors swiftly determined that Emily Hirshowitz was the likely sender of the menacing messages, using several phone numbers for which she was responsible.

As a result, she was charged with multiple counts of filing false reports and falsely reporting an incident. Following these charges, she was suspended from her position at the Ossining Police Department with pay, New York Post reported.

The criminal complaint acknowledged that someone associated with the District Attorney's office seemed to have sent three of the text messages, although the identity of that individual was not disclosed.

Former Ossining police officer Louis Rinaldi, who had resigned earlier due to separate disciplinary charges, has emerged as a potential accomplice in connection to Hirshowitz's case.

Rinaldi's name came up multiple times during the investigation, and his attorney, Michael Santangelo, stated that Rinaldi was being investigated.

Hirshowitz joined the Ossining Police Department in 2016 and was recognized as the employee of the year by the local Rotary Club branch in 2018.

Her attorney, Paul DerOhannesian, expressed that there is still much to learn about the case, and they will assess the situation as more information becomes available.

Emily Hirshowitz is scheduled to appear at White Plains City Court on Jul. 12.