New York cop, 36, is arrested for sending bogus harassment texts to herself, then claiming that her colleagues sent them

Emily Hirshowitz, a cop employed by the Village of Ossining in Westchester County, is charged with four counts third-degree falsely reporting an incident and three counts first-degree filing a false instrument

Seven-year veteran was suspended with pay, then arrested after an investigation revealed was the author of the abusive message

Hirshowitz had blamed the menacing texts on fellow officers within Ossining PD leading to an investigation by police and the Westchester District Attorney’s office

At one point, she suddenly seemed keen on dropping the investigation, but her superiors were persistent in rooting out those behind the messages

A search warrant for her phone and digital accounts revealed she controlled several of the devices from which threatening messages were sent

Self-harassment: Police officer Emily Hirshowitz, [photo] has been arrested after an investigation revealed that she was sending herself abusive menacing text messages, then turning round to file a report with the DA’s office blaming her colleagues

An upstate New York police officer has been arrested after an investigation revealed she was the one responsible for sending menacing text messages to herself – despite her claiming they were from her colleagues.
Emily Hirshowitz, 36, from Ossining Police Department, filed a report with the Westchester District Attorney’s office in May 2022, claiming to have received threatening texts from several anonymous numbers.
Hirshowitz who joined the department in 2016, said she believed fellow police officers were behind the harassment. In her complaint she claims, ‘a fellow police officer or multiple police officers at my department are involved.’

Officer Hirshowitz was named ‘2018 Employee of the Year’ by the Rotary Club of Ossining in upstate NY

Months later, in July and August, Hirshowitz escalated the protestation with further complaints, this time including screenshots of messages filled with expletives.
The messages called her ‘useless,’ ‘dumb’ and a ‘reject,’ while others were full of insults and some even suggested she commit suicide.
The nature of the messages prompted the police department after investigating the issue, asking the DA to further investigate the alleged harassment, concerned over the ‘increasingly threatening content.’

Hirshowitz [left] who joined the Ossining PD in May 2016 is suspended, charged with filing a false complaint after a search warrant of her phone and digital accounts indicated she controlled several of the numbers from which threatening messages were sent

By August however, Hirshowitz made an about face and suddenly seemed keen on dropping the investigation. Police brass on the other hand were to be deterred from catching up with the author[s] of the disturbing messages.
Hirshowitz told the DA’s office she was no longer interested in pursuing her earlier complaint.
In contrast her bosses were insistent the DA’s office to continue investigating the matter, conveyed during a department-wide meeting held on August 23 at which the mayor of Ossining attended alongside Police Chief Kevin Sylvester.
It wasn’t long before investigators began to suspect Hirshowitz herself as being behind the messages.

Hirshowitz, [photo], had blamed the menacing texts on fellow officers leading to an investigation by police and the DA. At one point, she suddenly seemed keen on dropping the investigation, her superiors were persistent in rooting out those behind the messages

Hirshowitz, seen, [left], alongside Police Chief Kevin Sylvester [center], stated how she believed fellow police officers from her department were behind the messages. Investigators now say she created the bogus messages

Hirshowitz had stated how she believed fellow police officers from her department were behind the messages – ‘a fellow police officer or multiple police officers at my department are involved,’ she wrote in a complaint.
However, it wasn’t long before investigators began to suspect officer Hirshowitz herself as being behind the messages.
A search warrant was obtained for her cellphone and Apple iCloud accounts in October.
Prosecutors found evidence indicating that she controlled several of the phone numbers from which the threatening messages were sent – with at least eight messages emanating from devices belonging to her. 

Hirshowitz [center], was celebrated as an officer who was dedicated to her role thanks to her ‘hard work, dedication, and absolute love for the community,’ but it wasn’t long before investigators began to suspect she was behind the messages

The force has just 58 officers on its staff and she was recognized as the ‘Employee of the Year’ by the local Rotary Club branch in 2018. 
Upon winning the award, she was described as having made ‘a big impact.’
Hirshowitz was celebrated as an officer who was dedicated to her role thanks to her ‘hard work, dedication, and absolute love for the community.’
She ranked among the top officers in when it came to arrests and vehicle & traffic enforcement.

Former Ossining police officer, Louis Rinaldi, [center], who resigned previously over separate disciplinary charges, has been mentioned as a possible accomplice to Hirshowitz

The erstwhile ‘model employee’ is now suspended without pay.
Hirshowitz was has now been charged with four counts of third-degree falsely reporting an incident and three counts of first-degree filing a false instrument at the Westchester District Attorney’s Office. 
The latter charge is a felony accusing her of intentionally filing a report to defraud.
Following her charges, she was suspended with pay. 
The criminal complaint explained that three of the text messages appeared to have been sent by someone known to the DA’s office but did not identify the individual. 
Another former Ossining police officer, Louis Rinaldi, who had resigned previously over separate disciplinary charges, was also mentioned as a possible accomplice to Hirshowitz.

Hirshowitz is an employee of the 58-man police department [photo], for the Village of Ossining in Westchester County, New York

Hirshowitz’s attorney, Paul DerOhannesian,  says more information needs to be gathered regarding the case.
‘There’s a lot of mystery and confusion surrounding the allegations in this case and we’ll evaluate as we learn more,’ said DerOhannesian.
Hirshowitz will appear at the White Plains City Court on July 12.
Hirshowitz, who studied at Sacred Heart University, joined the small Ossining Police Department in 2016 from the New Rochelle PD.