Cop Should Be Fired

To the Editor:

NYPD Officer Sean Sawyer appears to have no defense to several violations of Police Department regulations in the fatal road rage shooting of Jayson Tirado - regardless of what triggered the shooting.

First, a New York City police officer is required to immediately notify a supervisor when he fires his weapon for any reason - other than practice at the firing range.

Second, an officer who may have caused serious injury to another (in this case, by firing his weapon at another), even if justified, is required to seek immediate medical help for that individual. By leaving the scene, Officer Sawyer violated his Oath of Office to serve members of the public, especially in life-threatening circumstances that were caused by his own actions.

By leaving the scene and not reporting the incident for 19 hours, Officer Sawyer prevented the department from giving him a breathalyzer test for alcohol, which is now required after every shooting. There is a presumption of wrongdoing when an officer leaves the scene of a deadly incident like this one without immediately reporting the incident.

Regardless of what Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau decides to do about criminal charges, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly will have virtually no choice in what he has to do. Police Officer Sawyer forfeited his job when he left the scene of the shooting. Would any responsible person want to trust this officer with a firearm after his actions in this shooting?

MICHAEL J. GORMAN

Editor's note: The writer is a retired NYPD Lieutenant and an attorney.