NEW YORK -- Police officials faced fallout on Wednesday from a street disturbance in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn, including accusations that their department's highest-ranking uniformed officer flew into a rage and cursed out the crowd.
Assemblymen Dov Hikind said numerous civilian witnesses heard Chief of Department Joseph Esposito yell "F--- the Jews" and "F--- the community" while officers struggled to tame an unruly crowd Tuesday night in Borough Park. The politician and other community leaders were demanding an apology.
Esposito "lost it last night," said Hikind, an area Democrat. "He thought he was in the Wild West."
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a Republican, said that, although officials would review the entire episode, "from what I can see the police department acted appropriately."
The department released a statement saying Esposito "acknowledged that in attempting to bring under control a chaotic situation in front of the 66th Precinct stationhouse last night he used inappropriate language in instructing police officers to 'Get these f---ing people out of here."'
Hundreds of residents had stormed the streets amid accusations -- later denied by police officials -- that officers used excessive force in arresting a 75-year-old man after a routine traffic stop. Witnesses said police had shoved the man against a car.
The man, who was pulled over for talking on his cell phone while driving, resisted the officers during the stop and was arrested with two other people who meddled in the incident, police said.
As word of the arrests spread, angry protesters -- many of them teenagers wearing traditional black suits and hats -- flooded the streets and set small fires. Some surrounded the police station and chanted, "No Justice, no peace," before officers in riot gear were dispatched to disperse the crowd.
Hikind blamed the police.
"The behavior of the young people in the street was unfortunate, but it escalated because of the police," he said.
Of Esposito, the assemblyman said: "We don't want his head. We want an apology."
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly insisted he had "total confidence" in the chief.
"Sometimes in a chaotic situation things may be said that people might regret in the future," Kelly said. "But he's an outstanding commander, and I think overall the situation was handled well."
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