LI Detective Charged In Hate Crime Incident: Police

MANORVILLE, NY — A Rockville Centre police detective was arrested after he intentionally damaged a man's vehicle in Manorville in what's been deemed a hate crime incident, police said.

According to Suffolk County police, John Murphy, 40, of Manorville, was arrested Wednesday at 5:52 a.m. after the incident, which took place on November 3 at 7 p.m.

At that time, a subcontractor for a cellular company was working in a GMC Terrain at the corner of Sylvan Court and Weeks Avenue in Manorville when he was approached by a man who questioned what the worker was doing in the area, police said.

Murphy, who identified himself as a law enforcement officer, refused to look at the worker’s credentials, police said. Murphy then kicked the GMC, causing damage, ripped off the light affixed to the top of the vehicle and threw it at the worker, who is Black, while using a racial slur, police said.

Murphy, a Rockville Centre Police Department detective, was arrested and charged with two counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief, a hate crime and a felony; and second-degree aggravated harassment, a misdemeanor, police said.

"The Village of Rockville Centre does not comment on personnel matters," said Julie Grilli, spokesperson for the Rockville Centre police.

Murphy will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on November Wednesday, police said.

"The victim here was just trying to do his job, when the defendant allegedly harassed him and damaged his vehicle," Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said. "To make matters worse, the defendant is a sworn law enforcement officer, responsible for protecting the rights of citizens, rather than violating them, as is alleged here. I thank the Suffolk County Police Department’s Hate Crimes Unit for taking this crime seriously and following the evidence no matter where it led. Such conduct will not be tolerated in Suffolk County."