Officer Brendan Sullivan decided to adopt the persona of a flirtatious woman before escalating to a more panting tone. This was followed by a series of bizarre animal sounds. Paul Vogel, a 52-year-old resident of Brooklyn, found himself at the receiving end of these peculiar voicemail messages. For years, Vogel had grown increasingly annoyed by law enforcement and fire department vehicles that were inconsiderately parked on sidewalks and crosswalks in the Prospect Heights area, leading him to make countless calls to the city’s 311 complaint hotline. Officer Sullivan decided to respond to these grievances in a unique way, bombarding Vogel with voicemail messages for almost a year, as city records indicate.
On a seemingly ordinary day, May 16, 2021, the officer used his department-issued phone to take a rather unorthodox approach by leaving a voice mail filled with dolphin sounds, as per the city records. Less than two weeks later, on May 25, 2021, the officer took his harassment campaign to new levels by incorporating seal barks and sheep bleating into the mix. Between March 2021 and January 2022, he left a total of six strange messages for Vogel.
These unusual retaliation tactics came to light when the Department of Investigation embarked on an inspection into instances of police retaliation against citizens voicing complaints about illegal parking. Last month, Officer Sullivan accepted his punishment: a $500 fine imposed by the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board. The board, in its conclusion, stipulated that Officer Sullivan had attempted to deter a resident from voicing legitimate concerns about government action.
In addition to the fine, Officer Sullivan also had to forfeit 60 days of annual leave amounting to approximately $25,000 in salary. As a member of the police force since 2007 and stationed at the 77th Precinct, the officer was expected to uphold a high level of compliance with the conflicts of interest law, as per the disposition issued by the board.
In an unusual example of owning up to his misconduct, Officer Sullivan had to confess to his actions in an almost apologetic tone: ‘I impersonated a past love interest while leaving him a voice mail,’ was his confession. Vogel, in response, said on Tuesday that the sanction felt fairly substantial for what were essentially an array of practical jokes.
‘Still, he is a police officer and he systematically harassed a civilian,’ he stated. ‘The thought that an individual capable of such actions is still permitted to carry both a badge and a weapon does not comfort me in the slightest.’ The police later confirmed that Officer Sullivan was transferred to modified duties, which implied he would no longer be on patrol.
Unreachable for comment, Officer Sullivan has been placed in a position that largely excludes him from hands-on law enforcement. The police department maintains its commitment in a statement to securing the safety of all pedestrians across New York City.
For many years, city dwellers have expressed their indignation about inappropriately parked enforcement vehicles and emergency services, often taking to social media to share photographs of the transgressions and bringing up the issue with City Council members and during precinct meetings. The frequency of these complaints led to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York threatening a lawsuit against the city earlier this year unless substantial steps were taken to rectify the situation.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the police department confirmed that it was internally analyzing and addressing issues brought forth in the U.S. Attorney’s letter. Officer Sullivan’s case exposed another peculiar facet of the ongoing friction between citizens and city employees; often law enforcement officers flout parking regulations that are supposed to apply equally to all.
The purpose of the 311 hotline is to provide the public with an avenue to lodge complaints about a range of issues, including the misconduct of city employees. While the hotline encourages anonymity, callers can opt to share their contact information for follow-up purposes. In Vogel’s experience, his shared contact information unfortunately became a tool for spiteful retaliation.
During the pandemic, Vogel found himself increasingly frustrated by the continuous sight of emergency vehicles on sidewalks, obstructing crosswalks and even stationed in front of a fire hydrant near his apartment building. Such disrespectful parking habits, he noted, posed real danger to individuals. So, in response, Vogel became a frequent caller to the 311 hotline.
Vogel, who works for a non-profit organization, acknowledged his repeated calls to the hotline. ‘While some people indulge in games like Candy Crush, I reported repeated violations,’ he remarked.
Originally, he decided to disregard the strange calls, but upon hearing Officer Sullivan’s bizarre messages, he found himself amazed that anyone would leave such damning evidence. The Brooklyn DA’s office had previously examined the case and found no criminal behavior. However, how the Department of Investigation implicated Officer Sullivan from the voicemail remains unclear.
The city’s Civilian Complaint Review Board, an independent agency overseeing police conduct, identified Sullivan’s errors and found that he had been involved in sexually inappropriate behavior by sending treacherous messages, had abused his power, and was untruthful with investigators when he denied making the calls. The board proposed that Sullivan lose 60 days of leave as penalty, a decision that was approved by then Police Commissioner Edward Caban on September 11.
A local resident commented, ‘This amounts to an abuse of power compromising the functional integrity of 311, which is arguably the most powerful tool for holding the government accountable, second only to voting.’ The city’s Office of Technology and Innovation, running the 311 service, pledged that the protection of public trust and integrity of the innumerable NYC311 calls each year was a priority. Meanwhile, Vogel stated he would continue using the 311 service despite his peculiar experiences.