NYPD’s most-complained-about cop says his ways appear ‘ugly’ but are ‘needed’ to fight off crime

The NYPD’s most-complained police officer defended heavy-handed police tactics that led to 56 well-founded charges against him.

Lieutenant Eric Dym, who retired in October, insisted officers like him are “the ones you want to come to your door if, God forbid, you ever need the police.”

During 18 years with the NYPD, the former Marine was the subject of dozens of complaints and involved in a number of disciplinary cases.

Well-founded charges against him include four instances of pointing a gun at someone, seven of physical assault and dozens of abuse of authority.

But Dym, 42, has defended his approach to police as necessary to keep the streets safe.

NYPD Lt. Eric Dym, dressed in a white shirt, was disciplined by the department for acts including using his club inappropriately as a club when he responded to Black Lives Matter protesters in The Bronx in June 2020

The former cop is pictured during an exchange where he punched a suspect multiple times during an attempted arrest

He was also recorded riding down a street on a confiscated bike without a helmet in the city

Dym spoke of his controversial methods, telling New York’s Finest: Retired & Unfiltered Podcast, “My boys and girls who were on the street, the ones you substantiate complaints against, including myself — we’re the ones you want to come to your door like, God forbid you ever need the police.”

He added: ‘The Taser is not always an effective tool. Nobody likes to see the baton. Punches are ugly. They don’t want to see any constrictions.

“So I ask the audience…”Tell us, what do you want to see?”

“We’re only told what they don’t want to see. But what do you want to see?

“We are talking about lives at stake, safety, for myself and the police. And they forget that we are human. And we all have that fear factor.’

Dym has also been named in at least ten lawsuits that have cost the city more than $1.5 million.

The substantiated claims against him were investigated by the Civilian Complaint Review Board, which oversees the NYPD.

Justice advocates have said Dym’s aggressive policing is illegal and harms communities.

Jose Lasalle won nearly $900,000 in a wrongful arrest lawsuit against Dym and several other officers over an incident in 2017.

Mr Lasalle, co-founder of Copwatch Patrol Unit, told The City in New York that Dym was “full of bullshit” for trying to justify himself.

Dym added: ‘We are looking for those who possess illegal firearms and those who have shot.

“So in a lot of cases they go to fight because they don’t want to go to jail for a long time.

“They may have to give up family, kids, or a job, so they don’t want to go in.

‘And it’s human nature at that point: it’s fight or flight. And unfortunately, if we come up with a tactical plan, and we do well to isolate that unsub, their only option is to fight.

“And our only option is to keep each other safe.”

One of the videos during his time with the police showed him hitting a suspect he was trying to arrest

He is also shown here looking pleased with himself as he cycles down a city street

Dym spoke of his controversial methods, telling New York’s Finest: Retired & Unfiltered Podcast, “My boys and girls who were on the street, the ones you substantiate complaints against, including myself — we’re the ones you want to come to your door like, God forbid you ever need the police’

He claimed in the podcast that in the months leading up to his retirement, he had “seen many opportunities to make an arrest where I’m sure I’d get an illegal firearm, but I was scared off because the charges were mounting.” .

The CCRB had tried to have Dym fired over the allegations against him. By retiring, he will avoid being punished for 29 of the charges.

His lawyer, James Moschella, previously told The City: “He couldn’t do the kind of policing he saw fit, so he chose of his own accord to retire from the police department. And that’s exactly what the CCRB wanted.’