Patrick Cherry, NYC cop who berated Uber driver, apologizes

The New York City police officer who was demoted after a viral video showed him berating an Uber driver has apologized, saying he lost his temper after the driver refused to hand over his license and registration.

“I apologize. I sincerely apologize,” Detective Patrick Cherry told a local NBC affiliate Friday. “People shouldn’t be treated that way. I let my emotions get the better of me and I was angry.”

Detective Cherry, 39, is being removed from his position on the NYPD’s Joined Terrorism Task Force and has turned in his gun and badge after Monday’s rant was captured by a passenger on video, which has received nearly 3 million views on YouTube.

Detective Cherry said he was driving an unmarked patrol car and trying to park when the Uber driver pulled up fast behind him and gestured wildly in his direction, yelling, the NBC affiliate reported.

Detective Cherry said he pulled the car over to “clarify the situation.”

The YouTube video shows the detective’s expletive-filled rant lasting for several minutes.

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SEE ALSO: Patrick Cherry, NYC cop who berated Uber driver, placed on modified duty

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“Stop it with your mouth. Stop it with your ’For what sir, for what sir?’ Stop it with that [expletive], and realize there are three vehicle traffic violations that you committed, OK?” Detective Cherry, who was on duty at the time, says in the video.

“I don’t know where you’re coming from, where you think you’re appropriate in doing that; that’s not the way it works. How long have you been in this country? … I don’t know what [expletive] planet you’re on right now!” Detective Cherry says before slamming the driver’s side door in the driver’s face.

Detective Cherry acknowledged on Friday that he was “uptight” when he first approached the driver.

“When I walked up, I was uptight,” he said. “I wanted to know what the problem was. What did I do that was so wrong that I had to get chastised? I felt his driving actions were discourteous and impolite and when he stopped he said, ’I’m not giving you anything.’”

“I was upset that he refused to give me his license and registration and I yelled inappropriately,” Detective Cherry continued. “That’s not who I am, that’s not who I’ve been and that’s not how I conducted myself as an officer in New York City.”

The incident is being investigated by the Civilian Complaint Review Board, where he has been the subject of a dozen prior complaints, some for exhibiting the same sort of verbal abuse, a source told the New York Post.