Doc ‘mocked’ cop’s cancer
NYPD ‘bully’ made Finest life hell: suit
An NYPD doctor repeatedly accused of bullying sick cops for taking leave told one officer with recurrent thyroid cancer his bout “was not serious’’ nor “an excuse to miss work,” new court papers allege.
“He’s very rude, he’s not empathetic at all and he makes you seem like you’re useless and a waste,” Officer Luis Montes told The Post regarding Dr. John Santucci — the namesake son of the late Queens DA.
Montes, who works in Transit District 20, says because he went on restricted duty, he was forced to start seeing Santucci at least once a month starting in October 2020 for multiple health issues — including thyroid cancer and a torn ankle injury he suffered on the job, a Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit filed last week claims.
NYPD Deputy Chief Santucci, 62, who is affiliated with NYU Langone, allegedly told Montes he was faking the ankle tear that required two surgeries — and downplayed the cop’s cancer, telling him: “you’re fine”; “you are faking your injuries”; “the cancer is not that serious”; and “cancer was not an excuse to miss work,” the filing alleges.
The veteran 34-year cardiologist — an NYPD surgeon for 11 years — tried to force Montes to go back to work the following day each time he called out sick, berated Montes and ignored notes from doctors treating Montes who recommended rest and healing, the suit claims.
“He’s a tyrant,” Montes, 53, of Seaford, NY, told The Post. “It’s his way or the highway.”
Montes was first diagnosed with stage 4 thyroid cancer in 2017 and has had to undergo procedures to remove 30 of his lymph nodes — 21 of which were cancerous, the filing says.
The cancer went into remission but returned in 2023; he now has lesions and scar tissue on his throat that cause a strangling sensation and make it difficult for him to swallow, the suit and Montes claim.
Montes also suffered a severe ankle injury in January 2021 when he slipped and fell down a subway stairway while on the job.
The accident tore the ligaments and tendons in his ankle and ultimately required two surgeries, the court papers claim.
Montes said he’ll never walk without a limp and has arthritis that leaves him in constant pain.
Santucci “would accuse [Montes] of faking his ankle injures” and repeatedly tried to get him to return to work, though the MD stripped him of his gun and shield, the court papers claim.
Montes said in addition to the poor treatment he got from Santucci, it was like pulling teeth to get the NYPD to accommodate his needs, saying that despite having cancer, he’s forced to continue to work in the Transit unit in the subways, which he called “the filthiest environment.”
Montes’ lawyer, John Scola, told The Post the department could easily accommodate officers with health issues, noting there are a slew of desk jobs.
“The legal woes are compounded when they use Dr. John Santucci and other district surgeons to implement these hostile policies, abusing officers with cancer in the process,” Scola said.
“Dr. Santucci followed all rules and regulations,” said Chris Monahan, the president of the Captain’s Endowment Association, the union to which Santucci belongs.
The city Law Department and the NYPD both declined to comment. Santucci didn’t return a request for comment.
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