In 2006,with 19 years on the Buffalo, New York, Police Department, Cariol Horne was terminated for trying to stop a fellow officer, Gregory Kwiatkowski, from choking a handcuffed suspect, Neal Mack. Horne did what most of us would expect by attempting to stop a partner officer from assaulting a handcuffed suspect.  For her troubles, Horne was punched several times in the face by partner officer Kwiatkowski, an assault that required that her bridge be replaced. Cariol Horne was fired from the force in 2006 and charged with obstructing another cop during an arrest over a domestic dispute, ABC 7 reported in December of 2014.

Horne claims that fellow Buffalo officer Gregory Kwiatkowski was abusing a suspect who had already been placed under arrest in handcuffs. “He was handcuffed in the front and he was sideways and being punched in the face by Gregory Kwiatkowski,” explained Horne. Horne said she intervened when she saw Kwiatowski begin to choke the man. “I’m like, ‘Greg! You’re choking him,’ because I thought whatever happened in the house he was still upset about so when he didn’t stop choking him I just grabbed his arm from around Neal Mack’s neck,” said Horne.

Now the former Buffalo, NY Police Officer is speaking uo against her firing after doing what we in the community complain everyday the police do not do, stop their fellow officers from absuing suspects and speaking up when they knwo their fellow officers are doing wrong. Horne has started a petition in her quest to fight and appeal, what she claims is a wrongful firing and the loss of her pension. In her petition she tell her story from her perspective (you can read her full story below the video). Watch the video, read her words and feel free to sign her petition and leave your feedback and thoughts in the comment section below.

My name is Cariol Horne. I am a proud New Yorker and a mother of five, and grandmother of 13 and for nearly a decade I have been appealing a wrongful firing and the loss of my pension. When I was fired by Buffalo PD, the department charged me with obstruction for stopping Officer Kwiatkowski’s brutal attack on an already cuffed and arrested suspect. Even Kwiatkowski himself disputes the facts of the charges that got me dismissed. And while he was allowed to retire with his pension I was swiftly let go.

Mr. Kwiatkowski has a long history of violence within the police force. He retired after he had been suspended for choking a fellow officer on the job, he has been written up for punching another officer while off duty and most recently, after being promoted to Lieutenant, along with two other officers, was charged with federal felony civil rights violations for shooting a young African-American boy in his custody with a BB gun. From where I stand this is not a person that protects and serves but rather threatens the safety of officers and regular citizens alike.

I no longer want my job back. However, I worked hard for my pension and was wrongly fired for doing my job — stopping the abuse of a man who couldn’t defend himself.

Now Sgt. Kizzy Adonis in NY, is being bought up on charges for not stopping the chokehold that was put on Eric Garner which caused his death. I STOPPED a chokehold and Neal Mack lives. You can’t have it both ways New York. #Damned if you do, Damned if you don’t.
Buffalo PD allowed Kwiatkowski to continue on the force as a supervisor despite his several infractions, but released me without even one suspension on my record.

Help me fight for justice and my kids’ future and tell New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli to reinstate my pension and make a statement against injustice and corruption.

For more information about Cariol Horne’s case please see the follwing links. Fired Buffalo cop tells her side, Officers support Cariol Horne, Lt. Gregory Kwiatkowski charged with felony civil rights violations. Check up her Go Fund Me page, and her appearence of AJC Radio