The NYPD is investigating online threats against the Internal Affairs Bureau detective who set off a massive ticket-fixing probe, sources tell the Daily News.
The posts, which were taken down from The Rant website on Friday, included the address and photographs of Detective Randy Katakofsky, 34.
"The department learned about the threats and had the site take them down," one source said. "There's now a threat-assessment type investigation underway."
The NYPD contacted the website and told the former cop who runs it to take down the posts, sources said. Cops also went to Katakofsky's home to make sure his safety hadn't been compromised.
One of the posts said that Katakofsky should kill himself. There were also photos of him as a volunteer firefighter and with his softball team.
Katakofsky uncovered the summons case while investigating an officer who was suspected of having ties to a drug dealer, sources said.
A narrowly focused investigation grew into a larger probe after the cop was heard on wiretaps talking about fixing tickets.
Indictments against 17 officers are expected to be announced soon, and dozens more could face internal departmental charges or discipline, sources said.
Katakofsky has become a hated figure for some cops, who believe that ticket fixing is a professional courtesy not a crime.
More than 530 NYPD employees were caught on wiretapped phone calls during the two-year probe, sources said.
Angry union officials have said they plan to release the names of well-known New Yorkers who had tickets fixed, in order to show the "hypocrisy" of the investigation.
What do these New York City cops expect Internal Affairs to do? This is Internal Affairs’ job. If an officer assigned to a case involving a bad cop using or selling illicit drugs hears him talking about another crime (fixing tickets, etc.) he has no choice other than to report that crime. No? The district attorney and the bad cop's defense attorney will ultimately see the transcripts of the wiretap and the Internal Affairs cop will be history. I feel these police should tone down their rhetoric lest the courts punish the offenders more than what they may deserve. I love our police department but feel that the cowardly tactics of some of them is a dark stain on their reputation. Without laws this city and its police department would not survive. I hope that the cops who write on THE RANT are not indicative of caliber of the majority of police officers we pay to protect us. That site should not be dignified by your site or by the media. I don’t think the information there represents most police officers. They call for suicide????? Suggest assault????? Murder????? Its cowardice and bullying at its best! Its IGNORANCE personified. Smarten up people. Please restore dignity and pride for your department.
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