Politicians Attack NYPD Official Following Brooklyn Riot

Tuesday night's arrest of an elderly chasidic man for talking on a cell phone while driving, which caused a small riot in the Boro Park section of Brooklyn, yesterday prompted politicians and community leaders to accuse a high-ranking police official of cursing and making disparaging remarks about Jews when responding to the scene.

A City Council member of Brooklyn, Simcha Felder, charged that the chief of department, Joseph Esposito, yelled, "Get the f- Jews out of here," then turned to Mr. Felder and said, "Get the f- out of here and get off my street." Mr. Esposito is the highest-ranking sworn member of the NYPD. His position was formerly called chief of police.

The NYPD said Mr. Esposito used profanity, but that no departmental charges would result.

"Chief Esposito acknowledged that in attempting to bring under control a chaotic situation in front of the 66th Precinct station house last night that he used inappropriate language in instructing police officers to 'get these f-people out of here,'" a spokesman for the Police Department, Paul Browne, said in a statement. He did not comment on the allegation of Mr. Esposito using derogatory language about Jews.

Some refused to accept the explanation. "When you have a very high-ranking police officer on the scene shouting "f--- the community,' something is horribly wrong," Assembly Member Dov Hikind said. "What the crowd of mostly teens did, setting fires, is inexcusable, but the NYPD was grossly unprepared and did not command nor control the situation."

The trouble broke out when Arthur Schick, 75, was pulled over for driving while using his mobile telephone, police said. Police asked Mr. Schick, who wears a hearing aid, for his license and vehicle registration. He started arguing with the officers, police said, and was arrested on charges of unauthorized use of a cell phone, obstructing governmental administration, and disorderly conduct. State law says it is illegal to drive while using a hand-held phone.

The arrest galvanized a crowd, including many teenagers out of school for Passover break, who became rowdy and set fires.

In addition to Mr. Schick, two other men were arrested.

Chaim Gillig, 18, tried to prevent Schick's arrest, police said. He was cited for disorderly conduct.

Chaim Appel, 37, kicked a sergeant in the leg in an attempt to trip him, the Brooklyn district attorney's office said. The sergeant was not injured. Mr. Appel faces two counts of attempted assault - one a felony - menacing, obstructing governmental administration, two counts of disorderly conduct, and one count of harassment, the D.A.'s office said.

Mr. Kelly said there might be other arrests.

Mayor Bloomberg criticized the rioters and defended the police. "Running into the streets and throwing things, burning things, and putting other people's life at risk is not an appropriate behavior," the mayor said. "From what I can tell, the police department acted appropriately, but there will be an investigation."

The recriminations came on the same day that eight rabbis appeared at police headquarters and effusively praised the police commissioner, Raymond Kelly. Mr. Felder, however, was not easily mollified. "He has a second in command who has to be held accountable for what he said in public."