Subway Flasher "Not A Police Matter": Cop

A quick-thinking subway rider was able to snap a picture of the man she says exposed himself on the train, but was given the brushoff by a cop when she tried to report the incident.

After spotting the public masturbator on the northbound number 3 train on August 7th, the 41-year-old FBI employee went to the 32nd Precinct where, the New York Daily News reports:

A female uniformed officer... told her the incident "was not a police matter" and instructed her to call 311.

According to the NYPD, an investigation has been launched and the cop has been told to report to the Internal Affairs Bureau tomorrow.

RELATED: Media Gets Off On Train Masturbator (Pick Your Favorite Headline!)

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Comments

[brooklyncitizen]

worse.

[brooklyncitizen]

Unfortunately I've seen worst.

[MadHeart]

Yeah, well, if some idiot wants to expose his shortcomings in front of me in a public place, I'll start laughing at it, point him out, and call him a "jerkoff" as loudly as I can.

[brooklyncitizen]

good for you...and if you are a kid?
many kids ride the subways to and from school...this is a police matter.

[AllieMD]

Not that it's not a police matter and wrong - but if a kid is old enough to be on the subway alone to school - they are old enough to know what one at least looks like and not be traumatized. I think most teens would laugh. My daughter and her friend were flashed - they laughed. Then called the police :) Now if he touched one of them - different story entirely

[barrycourage]

"Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

When it comes to mass transit in NYC, both are likely.

But I would opt for the later over the former.

[MadHeart]

Didn't anyone read the story? Click on "snap a picture" above (which includes this):

Meanwhile, police arrested 34-year-old Kevin Bishop Thursday afternoon around 4 p.m. after recognizing him from a wanted poster as he entered a subway station at 163rd Street and Nicholas Avenue in Manhattan.

Bishop was taken into custody without incident and has been charged with public lewdness.

[LLNYRN]

I really would like to believe this woman.
But we only have HER word to go on.

For all we know, these two individuals could have gone through a few seconds staredown that pissed one or both of them off. It happens all the time on the subways. You just roll your eyes and move on. For all we know this guy could have just got PO's with this female eyeing him and just looked away, innocently listening to his tunes, and having a jock itch.

I feel it's a travesty to have this guy's photo blasted all over New York media without knowing his side of the story.

If this whole scenario turns out to be false,
I hope the guy sues to reclaim some sense of his character.

[wonketteRAWKS]

Unless there is more to the picture. Who knows?

[MadHeart]

Believe me, there was more than that "innocent looking" picture. The cops picked him up already, so they must have had probable cause.

[karela]

Ewwww! That would be pretty creepy with your morning coffee and commute.

[mikedarooky14]

Ewwww! A man sitting there talking on his phone! How creepy!

Do you have any proof that it was anything but that?

We all know that this is probably his ex and she is trying to get back at him. Who could trust her?

[Thinkprogressive]

How can you look down upon somebody else for making a claim without proof and then do the exact same thing in your next sentence.

[mikedarooky14]

Why isn't this woman's full Name posted?

[MadHeart]

Why should they? The perp already knows where she works.

[mikedarooky14]

Shouldn't huf/fpo be held lia/ble for posting this picture. This man hasn't been con/victed of anything!

This woman is probably a man ha/ter or this guys exgirlfriend!

[karela]

Mike, you protest too much. What aren't you telling us?

[Alarmist]

It's not just HuffPo. The media and police routinely release photos of "suspects" who are not yet charged, or are simply a person of interest. Innocent people are often tried in the media. Case in point: Richard Jewell.

But, that's also no reason to think the woman is lying or a man hater. There are tons of pervs in the subway, and people who whip it in public out are not uncommon.

[113]

this story is too funny

[mikedarooky14]

I don't see anything funny about this story. This poor man was just doing his own thing and this self righteous woman injected her Victorian morals into this mans life and could have cause irrevocable damage.

She should mind her own business or accept investigation by the public.

[LATaurus]

"Victorian Morals?" So you think everyone should be allowed to masturbate in public... in front of children, too? I say do whatever you want in the privacy of your own home, but we have public lewdness laws for a reason.....

[hereitis]

why in the world did hp post this man's pic?

[juhar]

Exposing ownself, masturbating in public, and having an itch that you rug quite vigorously is three different things.

Did he expose himself by taking off his clothing and exposing his privates or was he masturbating and/or vigorously rubbing it.

Anycase, I don't want to know. If his body was exposed I can't imagine the cop not taking it more seriously.

This person sounds too much like Ms. Morality Cop Elisabeth Hasselbeck for me to think that this is worth pursuing over than posting someone's pictures without criminal charges to at least make the man a suspect.

But maybe the point to to show that he is black therefore translating into probable suspect to make this story newsworthy.

[willengage]

She's right... NYC has Transit Police. A matter like this would be their jurisdiction.

HuffPost should reconsider the legal issues involved in using this photo.

[goesto11]

Is it fair to this guy to show his photo?

He hasn't been charged, has he? For all we know, the accuser could be his angry ex-girlfriend.

If he's been charged, it's a different matter entirely. But I'd hate to have my photo posted based on a single person's accusation.

Just sayin'.....

[praxitas]

good point

[TruthfullyYours]

so by your sayin'... there has to be more than one accuser to justify posting the pervert's photo? what if it was you (if you're a dudette), or your sister, or your mother who was harassed by this s cu m, wouldn't you want to make sure he does not do it to other women? just sayin'....

[MadHeart]

He's been picked up and charged.

[veritas2u]

Give the guy a break. He was perhaps under a lot of pressure!

[ZenSufi]

What's wrong with creating your own stimulus package?

[JooJooMan]

man flashes man - not good idea, violence may ensue unless both gay
man flashes woman - jail time for flasher
woman flashes woman - flashee does double take and looks away
woman flashes man - he smiles and asks how much

[TruthfullyYours]

woman flashes man - my place or yours?

[karela]

I think you understand relationships. Guys expose themselves to women because if they exposed themselves to other men they'd get the sh** kicked out of them. Guess what, women don't appreciate the sharing and there are laws against it. Yuck.