Officer Detail: Joseph R. Hassett
General Information
Name | Joseph R. Hassett |
OpenOversight ID | 84091 |
Unique Internal Identifier | 170250 |
Department | Buffalo Police Department |
Race | White |
Gender | Male |
Birth Year (Age) | Data Missing |
First Employment Date | 2009-07-31 |
Number of known incidents | 5 |
Currently on the force | Yes |
Assignment History
Job Title | Badge No. | Unit | Start Date | End Date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Detective | Narcotics | 2021-01-01 | |||
Police Officer | P2664 | Neighborhood Engagement Team | 2019-10-14 | ||
Police Officer | P2664 | Housing | 2013-04-29 | 2019-10-14 | |
Police Officer | P2664 | A District | 2010-07-24 | 2013-04-29 | |
Police Officer | P2664 | B District | 2010-06-08 | 2010-07-24 | |
Prob. Police Officer | P2664 | Academy | 2009-07-31 | 2010-06-09 |
Salary
Annual Salary | Overtime | Total Pay | Year |
---|---|---|---|
$37,838.96 | $96,059.13 | $133,898.09 | FY2024 |
$111,499.30 | $34,169.06 | $145,668.36 | FY2023 |
$86,430.86 | $9,741.17 | $96,172.03 | FY2022 |
$84,019.02 | $17,116.51 | $101,135.53 | FY2021 |
$87,580.00 | FY2020 | ||
$87,899.00 | FY2019 | ||
$79,285.00 | FY2018 | ||
$118,580.00 | FY2017 | ||
$108,942.00 | FY2016 | ||
$101,585.00 | FY2015 | ||
$96,651.00 | FY2014 | ||
$80,370.00 | FY2013 | ||
$81,470.00 | FY2012 | ||
$66,604.00 | FY2011 |
Incidents
Incident 41 |
|
Date | Mar 18, 2017 |
Department | Buffalo Police Department |
Officers | Joseph R. Hassett , Daniel Derenda |
Description | Buffalo Police officer Joseph Hassett was recorded on camera assaulting Timothy Stanton Jr. on March 18, 2017. Stanton was taken to ECMC for a head injury and a cut on his forehead that required stitches. The Erie County District Attorney's Office and the Buffalo Police Department both said they didn't learn about the incident until video of the confrontation was requested by Stanton's attorney. Hassett was charged with two counts of third-degree assault, official misconduct, offering a false instrument for filing and making a punishable false written statement in connection to an incident that happened in March 2017. Prosecutors argued this was excessive use of force, but the Judge disagreed, dismissing all criminal charges. BPD Internal Affairs opened an investigation on May 26, 2017 and officially suspended Officer Hassett on May 30, 2017, according to Commissioner Daniel Derenda. Hassett was suspended for 30 days without pay. |
Address | Buffalo, NY |
Incident 304 |
|
Date | Oct 26, 2016 |
Department | Buffalo Police Department |
Officers | Joseph R. Hassett , John F. Beyer , Brian Strobele |
Description | On October 26th, 2016 Buffalo Police Officers Joseph Hassett, John Beyer, and Brian Strobele used physical force by grabbing, jerking, pulling, tackleing and twisting Moses Torres, forcing his arms behind his back, hitting and striking him in the face and eye area, handcuffing him, and forcing him into the backseat of a police vehicle. Torres sustained severe injuries with accompanying pain, including but not limited to multiple lacerations and contusions to his hands, wrists, head and both eyes, neck, back and shoulders. Torres was arrested by these officers without a warrant, reasonable cause or reasonable suspicion that he engaged in unlawful activity. The officers falsely, maliciously, and recklessly arrested Torres with force and charged him with Assault in the 2nd degree, Resisting Arrest, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th degree, Obstructing Governmental Administration in the 2nd degree, and two counts of Disorderly Conduct. OutcomeAll charges against Moses were dismissed. Moses filed a civil complaint against the City of Buffalo, the Buffalo Police Department, the County of Erie, the Erie County Sheriff's Department, and Officers Hassett, Beyer, and Strobele due to the emotional trauma and harm, mental injury, physical injury, economic damage, legal expenses, and deprivation of his physical liberty, and rights. The County of Erie and the Erie County Sheriff's Office filed a motion to dismiss the Complaint filed against against them due to failure to state claim. The court ruled that the Complaint against the County and the Sheriff be dismissed and the Complaint against the city defendant could proceed. A Stipulation of Discontinuance was been filed, but no information regarding a settlement is publicly listed. There has been no information released about disciplinary action against the officers. |
Address | Buffalo, NY |
Incident 231 |
|
Date | Sep 09, 2014 |
Department | Buffalo Police Department |
Officers | Joseph R. Hassett , John F. Beyer , Daniel Derenda |
Description | In September 2014, Hassett and his partner, John Beyer, apprehended 26-year-old Keith Worthy at a gas station at the corner of South Park Avenue and Louisiana Street. The officers then took Worthy and his car into the nearby Commodore Perry housing projects, according to sources who have viewed the investigations that followed. The officers charged Worthy with trespassing on public housing property, according to the incident report. They also charged Worthy with leaving his car — which had been at a gas pump before they arrested him and moved it — unattended and blocking a roadway. OutcomeAll the charges against Worthy eventually were dropped. The Internal Affairs investigation into the incident took four years to resolve. The finding: The complaint was “not sustained.” Neither officer was punished. |
Address | Buffalo, NY |
Incident 234 |
|
Date | Nov 21, 2013 |
Department | Buffalo Police Department |
Officers | Joseph R. Hassett , Corey R. Krug , Daniel Derenda |
Description | Police officers Corey Krug and Joseph Hassett assaulted and detained Rickey Spencer for a violation of NYS V&T Law 1236 Lamps and Other Equipment on Bicycles in that he did not have a light or reflector on his bicycle. Spencer required surgery on his arm due to the assault. OutcomeA civil case against the City of Buffalo, Corey Krug, and Joseph Hassett was settled for $115,000. There has been no information released about disciplinary action against officer Krug or Hassett for this incident of brutality and the $115,000 that he cost Buffalo tax payers. |
Address |
E. Ferry Street
Buffalo, NY |
Incident 230 |
|
Date | Sep 17, 2012 |
Department | Buffalo Police Department |
Officers | Joseph R. Hassett , Daniel Derenda |
Description | Officer Joseph Hassett maliciously and intentionally assaulted Adam Hamideh without provocation during a September 2012 arrest near 1425 Clinton St. Hamideh said he was he was painfully and seriously injured from the repeated blows and also suffered a shock to his nerves and nervous system and may have permanent defects. OutcomeA civil case against the City of Buffalo was settled for $70,000. There has been no information released about disciplinary action against officer Hassett for this incident of brutality and the $70,000 that he cost Buffalo tax payers. |
Address |
Clinton Street
Buffalo, NY |
Links
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Buffalo Emergency Response Team Member
Roster from Buffalo's Emergency Response Team from 6/4/20
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Disciplinary Grievance Arbitration - Opinion and Award
"The Erie County District Attorney’s Office, after a comprehensive review of Internal Affairs files and federal Grand Jury minutes relating to the conduct of the subject Officer, has found that the subject Officer’s credibility is irremediable and therefore he will no longer be called upon as a witness in any pending or future criminal action. - Investigative Post | Geoff Kelly
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Problem cop still on Buffalo police force
In a four-year period, between 2014 and 2017, Internal Affairs looked into 11 complaints against Hassett alleging excessive use of force. All but one, the Staton incident, ended in findings of “not sustained.” - Investigative Post | Geoff Kelly
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Joseph Hassett Disciplinary Card
Disciplinary Card as of July 2020 - Investigative Post | Geoff Kelly
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Almost fired, then promoted
The city tried to dismiss a Buffalo police officer but was rebuffed by an arbitrator. He’s not only back on the streets, but the district attorney has reversed himself and says the detective can once again testify in court. - Bruce Rushton | Investigative Post
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Examination before Trial of Joseph Gramaglia, Former Commissioner of BPD
Testimony re: Hassett's credibility: "We received a first-time ever letter stating that the district attorney would not prosecute any case that he had direct evidence in, and the fear is that he could be involved in a case up to and including a homicide, and could be the determining witness in that case, and the DA wouldn't prosecute." More detail on his misconduct and the dept.'s promotion of the officer is detailed in the testimony. - Bruce Rushton | Investigative Post