A female NYPD officer who was punched in the face by a repeat offender in a brutal, camera-caught attack in the Bronx faces a “long road to recovery,” police union officials said.
“I spoke to the officers today,” Patrick Hendry, president of the Police Benevolent Association, told The Post on Saturday.
“She is in pain but in good spirits,” the union leader said. “She said she is extremely grateful for the support she is receiving from her fellow officers and the public.”
A rookie officer, identified in court documents as Mary Faye, also told him she was “just doing her job and trying to keep the peace that day.”
“She looks forward to returning to work,” he said, “but there is a long road to recovery ahead.”
According to authorities and law enforcement sources, Ernst Delmas, 41, a repeat offender, is accused of punching Fay in the face when Fay tried to break up a fight between Fay and a group of children on a street corner in Clason Point around 7:10 p.m. on August 1.
Video from the scene shows the officer with blood streaming from his face as passersby help him to his feet.
Delmas, who was on probation in New Jersey, was tackled by other officers at the corner of Rosedale and Randall Streets and, embarrassingly, left with his buttocks visible on video.
According to police records, Fay has been in the position for just eight months and has been arrested five times.
As he was led out of the Bronx police station a few hours after his arrest, Delmas had stitches around his swollen eye and tried to show remorse for his actions.
“I didn’t mean to hit her,” said Delma, wearing a T-shirt with an iconic photo of Muhammad Ali knocking out Sonny Liston. “It was self-defense.”
“I’m truly sorry. I didn’t know I did that. I was drunk,” he added before being hauled into court.
The judge was unmoved and set bail at $100,000. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 14.
