Scott Greene, NY Police Officer, Charged With Harassing, Stealing From Latinos

Police Sgt. Scott Greene, a New York police officer with over 25 years in the field, has been arrested on charges of harrassing Latinos and stealing money from them for supposed traffic offenders. According to the Suffolk County district attorney, Greene is accused of committing larceny and racial profiling against Latinos. District Attorney Thomas Spota confirmed that Greene had been arrested following a videotaped sting on Thursday night. Greene has pled not guilty to the charges.

Scott Greene came under investigation after two Latino men reported that the Police Sargeant had pulled them over in Long Island and then proceeded to steal money from their pay envelopes. Suffolk County commenced an undercover operation following the report. An undercover officer drove in the area where Greene was assigned and saw him surveying a car driven by a Latino. "In my view, he was looking at the driver because he was targeting Hispanic," Spota said, according to Newsday.

Greene then pulled the car over and ordered the driver out of the vehicle. He searched the car and then stole a $100 dollar bill from a pay envelope in the front seat. The bills were marked with flourescent paint, allowing the money to be tracked. Tim Mazzei, Greene's lawyer, is arguing against the charges. "I know he's a decorated police officer," Mazzei said, according to the newspaper, "and needless to say, these allegations are very startling and very upsetting."