STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police union leaders demanded an investigation following reports that the NYPD's Staten Island borough commander ordered police officers to repair a headlight on chokehold victim Eric Garner's mother's car to help her avoid a ticket.



Patrolman's Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch called for the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau to investigate the accusation, according to the Daily News.



"If the bosses involved fixed the ticket, then they must report themselves to Internal Affairs for disciplinary charges," Lynch told the News. "If the NYPD is now in the car repair business, then they need to let the general public know that if they get a ticket, don't pay it, just call an NYPD boss and they'll fix it.

Adding, "This is just absurd."

Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, claimed she never asked for any special treatment by the NYPD when her vehicle was pulled over on Staten Island for a burned out headlight last Tuesday.

According to the New York Post, Ms. Carr called Assistant Chief Edward Delatorre -- who is the NYPD's borough commander for Staten Island -- that night shortly after the incident occurred to complain.

"I have never made any special requests of the NYPD and I have never had Assistant Chief Delatorre's number," Ms. Carr said in a statement released by Jacky Johnson, a spokeswoman for Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network.



Ms. Johnson acknowledged that Ms. Carr was stopped for the headlight and that the NYPD did change the bulb.

"Ms. Carr did not ask for any special help or support," Ms. Johnson said. "She was fully capable of replacing the bulb herself and had planned to but the police insisted on helping her. She told them that she did not need the help, but they insisted."

Ms. Carr was pulled over on the night of Oct. 21 on Staten Island for the faulty headlight on her 2006 Kia Sedona, the Post said. The Post quoted a law enforcement source as saying that Delatorre had given Ms. Carr his phone number in the days after her son's death.

At Delatorre's direction, a lieutenant and a sergeant fixed the faulty headlight and gave Ms. Carr the papers needed to void the summons that could have resulted in a fine of up to $150, the Post said.

NYPD sources told the Advance that Ms. Carr didn't have Delatorre's number, but rather had called a "community member" who made the call on her behalf.



The National Action Network and counsel for the Garner family said that the story was a distraction from the real issues surrounding the death of Garner, 43, on July 17 after he was put into a chokehold by police during an arrest for allegedly selling loose cigarettes in Tompkinsville.

"This is a blatant attempt to make it seem like people are seeking a favor when they are trying to seek justice and this is clearly not the case," said Kirsten John Foy, northeast regional director for the National Action Network.

"If it was thought that Ms. Carr had asked the commander to fix her ticket, he would and should have been fired for doing it. That's how absurd this story is."

The New York Post reported that the NYPD Internal Affairs division launched an investigation into the matter, citing a police source. Police officials could not immediately confirm that account.