NYPD chief raises money for Baldwinite’s daughter

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A New York City police chief is raising money for the daughter of Baldwinite Det. Dalsh Veve, who was seriously injured two years ago on the job. On March 26, NYPD Chief of Patrol Rodney Harrison tweeted that he had auctioned a Black History Month challenge coin for $2,500, which will fund a scholarship for Veve’s daughter, Darshee.

The challenge coin displays the busts of five high-ranking Black NYPD officials, including Thomas Mitchelson, the first African-American to become a three-star chief for the department. The coin is engraved with a quote stating “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

Veve, who is Black, sustained severe brain damage following an attempted traffic stop with suspected car thief Justin Murrell. Murrell attempted to flee in a stolen vehicle in June 2017 after Veve, a 10-year NYPD veteran with the 67th Precinct, attempted to speak with him.

The officer hung onto the car for several blocks before he fell. Veve, who spent weeks in a medically induced coma, sustained severe brain damage and now uses a wheelchair and requires 24-hour care.

In January, Justice Ruth Shillingford sentenced Murrell to 16 months to four years in prison, angering many who believed the teenager should have received more time behind bars. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez had recommended a 3 1/2 to 10 year sentence, but Shillingford reduced the time due to Murrell’s age.

“She spit on every [police] shield, on every chest in this city,” Patrick Lynch, president of the New York City Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, said after the sentencing. “She spit on [the Veve] family. She spit on that hero.”