New York Daily News -
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Party photos launch police probe
BY KERRY BURKE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, January 17th, 2006
An "appreciation party" where Brooklyn cops got free dinner and drinks — and expensive electronic goodies, in some cases — is now the subject of an NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau investigation, the Daily News has learned.
The lavish New Year's celebration was thrown in January 2005 at Manhattan's Prime Grill, where sources said cops were entertained by a magician and walked out with presents and "prizes" in green gift boxes.
"We want to look at photos taken at the event," said a police source. "We'll identify who was there, have them in for questioning and see where it goes from there."
A uniformed guard snapped to a salute in the icy rain on Jan. 3, 2005, as officers, including high-ranking brass in suits, got out of unmarked cars and strolled into the E. 49th St. steakhouse.
Both sides of the street had been cordoned off for police parking.
The News observed dozens of cops, some who got out of cabs at the corner, often with dates, enter the party.
The affair was hosted by Abe Friedman, an orthodox Jewish leader from South Williamsburg — a Brooklyn neighborhood where different religious sects and ethnic groups often compete over housing, jobs, city services and political pull.
It wasn't the first time Friedman had thrown New Year's celebrations at exclusive eateries for cops, sources said.
On other occasions, revelers were invited to Abigael's On Broadway for a Jan. 6, 2003, bash and again to the Prime Grill on Jan. 5, 2004. All invitations name Friedman as the "host," and described him as an "NYPD liaison."
When asked by The News last week about the parties, Friedman said, "I don't know what you are talking about."
Police sources close to the investigation told The News they want to know more about what went on inside last year's bash.
No cops have been charged with any wrongdoing to date.
"We want to know what they were doing there," said a source. "And what, if anything, the people behind the event got." Some people who attended the 2005 party said select cops got hand-held computers and cell phones. Others described a raffle where brass "won" electronic freebies by putting their business cards in a box for a drawing.
"There was a raffle for three GPS [Global Positioning System units]," said a civilian guest at the gala affair. "There were bigger prizes in boxes, but they put them in a room and said they'd get them at quieter times."
When The News attempted to slip into the event, men who greeted many attendees by name turned a reporter away.
"This is a private party," said the head of the Orthodox security detail, who declined to identify himself. "You are wasting your time.
"It's an appreciation party, not just for police, but for whoever has an invitation," he added.
The guests were made aware that The News was outside.
"They announced that the press was outside taking pictures. They warned the crowd, 'Don't talk to anyone you don't know,' " said the civilian party guest.
Some of the expensive electronics, sources said, came from Hello Cellular, a business in Williamsburg that has since been sold.
The brothers who owned the store last year initially acknowledged giving BlackBerrys and cell phones to Friedman for the party, but then reversed themselves over the course of a brief interview.
Neither man would say how many devices they provided, or whether they had been given away.
"It was a community affairs dinner, mostly for the police," said a civilian partygoer, among the last to leave the lavish 2005 event. "Mostly to say thank-you and Happy New Year."
The NYPD does not comment on ongoing internal affairs investigations.
