While It May Appear Unprofessional, It Was Hardly The Worst Thing In The World, Or, “Protect & Lob”

Apparently citizens don’t find on-duty egg fights very funny:

Sgt. Salvatore R. Carola, 38, was punished after the Internal Affairs Bureau got a videotape from an East Flatbush resident who witnessed the Father’s Day shenanigans.

Sources said Carola, an 11-year veteran, was in charge of some two dozen rookies taking part in a citywide program to flood high-crime areas with extra cops.

But first, they decided to have a little fun. For 10 to 15 minutes, Carola and the rookies, all in uniform, hurled water balloons at each other and pelted NYPD vans with eggs.

No one was hurt and no property was damaged, but one annoyed citizen recorded the “fun” and turned over the videotape.

The timing of the horsePlay, on Nostrand Avenue near Farragut Road, could not have been worse. It came after a five-hour period that saw 10 people shot or stabbed in the precinct.

One veteran police supervisor said, “This was an incident of some cops letting off some steam while they were dealing with the stress of keeping the public safe.

“It wasn’t dangerous and, while it may appear unprofessional, it was hardly the worst thing in the world.”