Cop arrested after East Meadow traffic stop

According to the Nassau County District Attorney’s office, a Nassau police officer was arrested last week after “he used his authority as an officer to coerce a woman into touching him sexually during a traffic stop.”

The case was investigated by the Nassau District Attorney’s Office Public Corruption Bureau in conjunction with the Nassau County Police Department Internal Affairs Unit (IAU).

Garrett Mannerz, 34, was arrested on June 15 by IAU and charged with third-degree bribe receiving, official misconduct, second-degree coercion and third-degree sexual abuse. Mannerz faces up to seven years in prison if convicted. He is due back in court June 29.

District Attorney Kathleen Rice said that on Feb. 27, 2011, Mannerz, a police officer in the Third Precinct, stopped a vehicle that was travelling in the vicinity of Hempstead Turnpike and Newbridge Road in East Meadow. Inside the car were three women in their early-20s. After performing field sobriety tests on the driver, Mannerz ordered one of the passengers out of the car, commented on her attire, and asked for her telephone number.

“Mannerz then told the woman to walk over to his patrol car where he told her that if she ‘did something for him,’” Rice said, “then he would allow the driver to leave the location without receiving a summons or being charged criminally.” The D.A. said that Mannerz then grabbed the woman’s wrist and made her touch him sexually. He also arranged to call her to set up a “date.” Mannerz let the three women drive away. Within two hours, Mannerz began a series of sexually suggestive telephone calls to the passenger he had grabbed.

“He was arrested after the victim recorded one of the phone calls and brought it to police,” the D.A.’s office reported.

Mannerz has been a Nassau County Police Officer since November 2005. Mannerz’s assignment with the precinct put him the position of being able to pull over motorists constantly. Anyone with a similar experience is encouraged to contact the DA’s Public Corruption Bureau at (516) 571-2100.

“This is a shocking case of a policeman abusing his power,” Rice said. “This defendant was supposed to serve and protect the people, but chose instead to disgrace himself and the honest, hard-working members of the Nassau County Police Department with his abhorrent behavior.”