With spying charges behind him, NYPD officer now fighting to be reinstated
Share and Follow


NEW YORK (AP) — A suspended New York City police officer who had been accused — then later cleared — of spying for China is fighting to be reinstated, but the department wants him fired for refusing to be interrogated by the bureau of internal affairs exploring possible disciplinary action.

The fate of the officer, Baimadajie Angwang, now rests with an NYPD disciplinary judge who is considering arguments made before her Tuesday.

The police department argues Angwang should be fired for insubordination, saying he willfully disobeyed orders to submit himself to questioning in June. That came two months after Angwang filed a lawsuit against the city saying he was wrongfully arrested when he was taken into custody in September 2020 by authorities with guns drawn as he prepared to report for duty at his Queens precinct.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Jan. 19 that it was dropping all spying charges against the officer, saying prosecutors had uncovered new information warranting their dismissal. That ended a two-year ordeal for Angwang, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Tibet, who had been accused of spying on expatriate Tibetans in New York on behalf of officials at the Chinese consulate in the city.

Despite his long legal ordeal, Angwang said on the stand Tuesday that he still wants to rejoin the force.

“I still want to be a police officer. I still want to serve,” he said.

Angwang said he refused to appear at the June 5 questioning because he was advised that the order was unlawful because his new attorneys were denied additional time to confer with him and get up to speed with the case. Police also rejected requests for a witness list and other documents ahead of the hearing, which was to focus on any wrongdoing that warranted discipline because of his interaction with Chinese officials in New York.

The lawyer representing the police department, Penny Bluford-Garrett, argued that “taking orders” was part of the job, and that the department’s internal affairs bureau “can investigate you for anything.”

The U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn had initially claimed that Angwang began working as an agent for China in 2018 and was secretly supplying information on Tibetans pushing for their homeland’s independence from the communist government. It said he had worked to locate potential intelligence sources and identify potential threats to Chinese interests.

Tibet has been an especially sensitive issue for communist China.

There was no allegation that Angwang compromised national security or New York Police Department operations.

Angwang, 37, was assigned to an NYPD precinct in Queens as a community liaison.

“Does he deserve to lose his job? The answer to both questions is absolutely not,” said his lawyer, Michael Bloch.

Instead, he said, the department should say, “Thank you for your service, sir, and welcome back.”

Angwang’s lawyers, however, contend that the interrogation was a setup to entrap the officer, despite having his federal case dropped by the Justice Department earlier. An internal affairs lieutenant testified that he had prepared a list of 1,700 questions for Angwang.

Angwang was first notified on May 17 to appear five days later for questioning. But his attorney got a postponement until June 5, giving Anwang time to find new attorneys.

Share and Follow
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like
Golden Bachelor admits he fibbed about not dating after wife's death

Golden Bachelor admits he fibbed about not dating after wife’s death

Golden Bachelor star Gerry Turner has admitted he fibbed about not dating…
Schools crack down on cell phones, sparking debate on safety and tech use

Schools crack down on cell phones, sparking debate on safety and tech use

(The Hill) — Schools are finding creative ways to stop students from…
Suspected serial killer linked to 4 Los Angeles-area deaths due in court

Suspected serial killer linked to 4 Los Angeles-area deaths due in court

A man suspected in four killings across Los Angeles County is due…
Quadruple murder suspect accused of killing 1-year-old at Dallas home commits suicide during police chase

Quadruple murder suspect accused of killing 1-year-old at Dallas home commits suicide during police chase

A man suspected of killing four people, including a 1-year-old boy, and…
FILE - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, right, gestures as Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., speaks during a rally, Feb. 28, 2016, in Madison, Ala. Republican presidential candidates will gather in Alabama on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023, for the fourth GOP debate of the 2024 presidential campaign. Former President Trump will skip the debate as he maintains his wide lead over his rivals. But the setting in Alabama helps explain why the former president has such a grip on Republican politics in 2024. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

The next Republican debate is in Alabama, the state that gave the GOP a road map to Donald Trump

ATLANTA (AP) — Republican presidential candidates will debate Wednesday within walking distance…
Deer leads police on chase through New Jersey elementary school

Deer leads police on chase through New Jersey elementary school

New Jersey police were sent on a wild, caught-on-camera chase after a…
250,000 birds euthanized in California

Avian flu confirmed in California, 250,000 birds euthanized amid spread concerns

250,000 birds euthanized in California Animal disease experts are raising concern about…
Virginia Democrats projected to keep control of Senate, flip House

Full Survey: Views on GOP candidates, foreign conflicts and more

(NewsNation) — A NewsNation/Decision Desk HQ poll of registered voters released Monday…