Nyc Councilmember Chi Ossé Files Misconduct Complaint Against Officer Who Arrested Him

NEW YORK — City Councilmember Chi Ossé filed a misconduct complaint Monday against an NYPD officer who arrested him, advancing a case that stands to drive a further wedge between the police department and Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The complaint, which Ossé shared with POLITICO, alleges the officer used excessive force during the April 22 arrest in Brooklyn where the Council member and others were protesting the planned eviction of a woman who claims she’s the victim of deed theft.

The Civilian Complaint Review Board, which investigates and prosecutes cases of police misconduct, has received Ossé’s claim and is reviewing it, a spokesperson confirmed.

Ossé, a democratic socialist and ally of Mamdani, told POLITICO he believes the arresting officer violated his civil rights.

“My rights were violated, but more importantly, my responsibility to my community and constituents demands a fact-finding,” said Ossé, who claims he suffered a concussion from being slammed to the ground during the arrest.

A spokesperson for the NYPD declined to comment on the complaint. The department previously said Ossé and three other protesters were only arrested after refusing verbal commands to stop blocking access to the property where the eviction was set to be executed.

A spokesperson for Mamdani — who called video of Ossé’s arrest "incredibly concerning” last month — said in response to the Council member’s complaint that "the mayor respects the independence of the CCRB and will allow the disciplinary process to play out based on the evidence, established procedures, and the NYPD’s disciplinary matrix."

Mamdani, a longtime critic of the NYPD, faces a fraught situation in responding to Ossé’s misconduct claim.

If he doesn’t back up his fellow democratic socialist, Mamdani is likely to anger his allies on the left. On the flipside, if he condemns the arresting officer, he risks drawing the ire of NYPD leaders, including Commissioner Jessica Tisch, as well as the department’s rank-and-file cops.

Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry, whose union represents the officer accused of misconduct, said he was “not surprised” Ossé filed the complaint.

“This officer was clearly acting within the law and NYPD guidelines when effecting the arrest, but none of that matters to CCRB,” said Hendry, whose union is in legal battles against the board over allegations of anti-police bias. “Their goal is to drive police officers away from this job.”

Ahmed Zaitoun, the officer named in Ossé’s complaint, has been with the NYPD since October 2022, personnel records show. He has been accused of excessive force twice before, with both incidents dating back to 2024. The CCRB determined the claims in those cases were “unfounded,” according to board records.

Video of Ossé’s arrest posted to social media showed the Council member and other protesters trying to block city marshals and NYPD officers from gaining access to the property in Bedford-Stuyvesant where the resident faced eviction. At one point, Ossé can be seen trying to get between officers and a fellow demonstrator they arrested. That prompted an officer to grab Ossé by his jacket collar, tackle him to the ground and place him in cuffs. Officers then took Ossé to Brooklyn’s 79th Precinct, where he was charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing governmental administration before being released with a desk appearance ticket.

After Ossé’s arrest, state Attorney General Letitia James’ office said it had determined that deed theft was not at play at the property where he was arrested.

Still, Mamdani wasn’t alone in condemning Ossé’s arrest.

City Council Speaker Julie Menin, a more moderate Democrat than Ossé and Mamdani, showed up to a protest outside the NYPD precinct where Ossé was taken.

“When I saw the video, it’s obviously of deep, deep concern,” Menin told reporters outside the precinct. “He was thrown to the ground, and as you heard from him directly, he sustained some injuries. That is not acceptable. He was peacefully protesting.”