NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo fired for 'reckless' actions, Plans To Appeal And Will Still Receive All Pension Benefits He Had Accrued Through Monday.

Daniel Pantaleo, the New York City police officer seen on video using a chokehold during Eric Garner's deadly arrest five years ago ⁠— sparking mass protests ⁠and becoming a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement — was fired by the department on Monday.

NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill announced he'll enforce an administrative judge's recommendation, made earlier this month, that Pantaleo be terminated over the July 17, 2014, confrontation as Garner was being arrested on Staten Island for selling loose, untaxed cigarettes.

Pantaleo, who has been with the NYPD since 2006, was suspended as soon as that departmental verdict was reached, in keeping with long-standing practice when there is a recommendation for firing. The 13-year veteran had been on desk duty as his case made its way through legal and administrative circles.

The now-former police officer plans to fight his termination under Article 78, a New York civil code that sets a path for challenges to rulings by a government agency.

"After the Article 78, if we need to appeal beyond that we will," London said. "We are looking for him to get his job back."

If the termination stands, Pantaleo would still be entitled to all pension benefits he had accrued through Monday, according to O'Neill.

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This is of course a step in the right direction. However, we tend to take a step forward and then take ten steps backwards is what I am worried about. I'll wait and see how this appeal process goes and then come back with a complete article of my own. We should always be careful about how soon we celebrate things.