The Police Department is investigating an argument that allegedly led an officer to tell a police widow: “At least I’m alive to be a disgrace” to the uniform.
Police widows Lori Gunn and Pat Boesch flagged down two cops on Sixth Avenue as they made their way to the NYPD Bomb Squad’s centennial celebration Nov. 21 at the New York Hilton.
The widows pulled up by the female officers to ask directions to the Midtown North Precinct, where they planned to park, sources said.
When the widows asked the cops how far it was to the precinct, Officer Havonia Holley pointed out Gunn wasn’t wearing her seat belt, sources said.
That led to a heated squabble between Holley and the two widows – and Gunn refused to hand over her license and registration, sources said.
So Holley proceeded to write Gunn a summons for not wearing a seat belt.
Gunn – the widow of Officer William Gunn, who was shot in the head in 1989 as he went to a Brooklyn apartment to arrest a wanted murderer and later languished in a coma for nearly four years – continued to argue.
As the war of words escalated, Officer Chanae Martin demanded Gunn show “some respect,” sources said.
Gunn told Martin she was a disgrace and should not be wearing an NYPD uniform.
“At least I’m alive to be a disgrace in this uniform,” Martin shot back.
The confrontation was made public in an e-mail posted on a Internet message board called “NYPD Rant.”
The message – signed by someone identified as “Lo” – is a first-person account detailing the incident and how badly the widows were treated.
The e-mail describes Officer Martin as “an animal” and said her vicious comment was followed by a “evil, hearty laugh.”
Gunn said she did not post the message and refused to comment on the matter.
The NYPD said the incident is under investigation.
Martin, a nine-year veteran, was yanked off the summons unit this week, but continues to work at the precinct. Holley, a 13-year vet, was moved to the day shift, sources said.
“If this is how a police officer treats the spouse of a police officer who is killed in the line of duty, how is she treating the general public?” a police official said.