Now another city cop faces assault counts. This goofball cop faces two counts of third degree assault. How many cops and city jailers in the past year. He is a cop at 31 years old and didn't grow up.




A decorated Buffalo police officer arrested Tuesday on misdemeanor assault charges allegedly tripped a defendant at Central Booking, and a cut on the defendant's forehead required five stitches to close, according to a Buffalo police source.

Officer Joseph Hassett, 31, was charged with two counts of third-degree assault and one count each of official misconduct and second-degree offering a false instrument for filing.

The man he is accused of assaulting, Timothy Staton Jr., 27, was taken into custody on March 18 on a mix of misdemeanor and felony drug possession charges.

"We do not tolerate inappropriate or criminal behavior," Police Commissioner Daniel Derenda said after Hassett's arrest. "We have and will continue to hold our officers accountable for their actions."



Hassett turned himself in to the department's internal affairs investigators Tuesday, Derenda said. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 5 in Buffalo City Court.

"Officer Hassett is innocent of the allegations," said defense attorney Timothy W. Hoover. "The limited use of force was entirely justified against a physically resistant, aggressive and non-compliant arrestee.

"We look forward to trying the case in court and obtaining Officer Hassett a complete acquittal and a return to duty as a Buffalo police officer," Hoover said.

Hassett, who joined the Buffalo Police in 2009, made headlines in 2013 when he was wounded in the knee by gunfire during a foot chase and still helped apprehend the suspect in that case. Hassett received the Medal of Honor, the Police Department’s highest distinction.

According to police records of the March incident, officers noticed Staton parked in a van on Jefferson Avenue near where East North Street dead ends. The van was more than 12 inches from the curb, police said.

When Hassett pulled up next to the van, Staton rolled down the window and Hassett "noticed a strong odor of marijuana along with a white cloud of smoke," according to a police report.

Hassett asked Staton to step out of the vehicle and noticed a jar of what appeared to be marijuana in the driver's side door handle and a plastic bag containing "white rocks" on the driver's side floor. A second officer recovered a burning marijuana blunt and an open bottle of Remy Martin, in addition to a red cup containing liquor, according to police records.

Staton was brought back to Central Booking. A police report said Staton "became combative" with officers and "refused commands and taken to the ground." It adds that Staton was taken to Erie County Medical Center where he was treated and released.

A police source said Hassett deliberately tripped Staton while in Central Booking, which left him with a cut on his forehead.