A repeat offender on probation allegedly punched an NYPD officer so hard she fell to the ground before other cops pounced on the violent suspect on a Bronx sidewalk Thursday evening in a caught-on-camera arrest.
The alleged attacker, 41, slugged the female officer in the face when she attempted to intervene during an argument between the man and a group of kids around 7:10 p.m. on the corner of Rosedale and Randall avenues, authorities and law enforcement sources said.
Footage captured by a bystander of the ensuing arrest shows the officer’s partner move in on the suspect while other cops and witnesses check on the injured cop, who is still on the ground with a bloody face, sources said.
While the assaulted cop gets to her feet, her fellow cop lands at least two haymakers on the suspect during the struggle on the ground, the video shows.
As the alleged perp resists arrest, his pants and underwear embarrassingly fall down before he is ultimately handcuffed with his naked behind showing as spectators take in the wild scene.
The injured officer sustained a cut to her lip and was taken to a local hospital in stable condition, police said.
The suspect was identified as Ernst Delma and he was charged with assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration, the NYPD said.
He was taken to St. Barnabas for evaluation following the arrest.
Delma, who is on probation, has numerous prior arrests, including for assault and burglary over the past few years, law enforcement sources said.
PBA President Patrick Hendry condemned the ugly attack on another police officer.
“Thankfully our sister is recovering from this brutal assault. But this is exactly what happens when the justice system cares more about coddling criminals than backing up cops on the street,” he said in a statement.
“We’ll be watching to make sure this individual is charged appropriately and kept off the street. Our sister and her partner did their job. Now everyone else in the criminal justice system needs to do theirs.”
Just last week, two NYPD cops were shot and wounded as they attempted to arrest a suspect in lower Manhattan.
