clipped from gothamist.com Civilian Lawyers To Prosecute NYPD Misconduct Cases Under a new plan, some cops accused of wrongdoing won't face internal NYPD reviews, but prosecution from outside attorneys who specialize in police misconduct. According to the Daily News, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the Civilian Complaint Review Board now has authority to charge and prosecute officers in some cases when civilians file complaints. The Times reports that the board currently investigates cases and refers them to police for prosecution, though the NYPD only prosecutes some cases. The New York Civil Liberties Union says the new policy isn't "real reform" and could be "an empty gesture" because civilian lawyers will only be able to "prosecute a small number of cases handpicked by the NYPD." By Ben Muessig in News on February 19, 2010 5:22 PM