What does the sign posted by the NYPD on my neighbor's apartment door mean?

January 2, 2012 4:27 PM

What does the sign posted by the NYPD on my neighbor's door mean?

I live in an apartment building in Manhattan and two days ago, a sign was placed on one of my neighbor's doors, reading: "These premises have been sealed by the NYC Police Dept. pursuant to Section 435, Administrative Code. All persons are forbidden to enter unless authorized by the police department or public administrator." The sign sealed the door closed and said it had been posted by the "Department of DOA Premises." I've since searched online and tried to find out what this 435 code is, or what the Department of DOA Premises is, but haven't come up with anything concrete.

Because of the "DOA," my only guess is that this means my neighbor passed away, but since he was young and superficially in good health, since the police were involved, and since he lives next door, I am (while admittedly also a nosy neighbor) concerned.

Does anyone know what this sign means or where I could find out what it means? If there was some sort of criminal incident that took place, is that information made public anywhere?

Thanks in advance for any info.

posted by anonymous to law & government (12 answers total)

This is a link to Section 435, found here: The Laws of New York.

I'm not sure that helps. It's just the duties of the police. A search of that site yields nothing with the abbreviation DOA ... but you could keep looking.
posted by zomg at 4:33 PM on January 2, 2012

Number 6 on this list suggests that he must have been found dead in the apartment. Sorry.
posted by cmoj at 4:38 PM on January 2, 2012

D.O.A. can stand for "Department of Administration" as well, not just Dead on Arrival.

Though I will tell you police have some involvement, in some jurisdictions, with securing and inspecting the site of a suicide or overdose, if a final determination hasn't been made.
posted by availablelight at 4:38 PM on January 2, 2012

Sorry, this list.
posted by cmoj at 4:38 PM on January 2, 2012

The police usually seal off doors to apartments when there has been a crime committed in the apartment and it is considered a crime scene.

Contact your landlord or management company for more information.
posted by dfriedman at 4:39 PM on January 2, 2012

On preview, I think cmoj has it, unfortunately.
posted by availablelight at 4:44 PM on January 2, 2012

Is this it? Seems to jibe with cmoj's link.
posted by holterbarbour at 4:46 PM on January 2, 2012

Oh god, I had this happen to me a few months ago. The green sticker on the door? Yea your neighbor, or someone he had over passsed away under suspicious circumstances. The police will tell you nothing (I called my local precinct at the non emergency line). In my case the neighbor was an old guy who passed away in his sleep. Until the coroners report confirmed no foul play, the police kept the apt sealed.
posted by larthegreat at 5:06 PM on January 2, 2012

Does not have to have been suspicious -- it could have been an "unattended death".
posted by mlis at 5:10 PM on January 2, 2012

Yep, I've had that next door too. Except in that case I wish my creepy neighbor had died in his apartment; no, he ODed in the hall, with his freaky little European boyfriend ransacking the apartment for their drugs while the paramedics littered the landing with used hypodermics and sterile AED paddle wrappers.
posted by nicwolff at 6:51 PM on January 2, 2012

"Department of Department Of Administration Premises"?
posted by Napierzaza at 7:05 PM on January 2, 2012 [3 favorites]

Yeah, unfortunately, I've seen this on a neighbor's door, and it was as cmoj suggests. Ugh.
posted by davidjmcgee at 9:04 PM on January 2, 2012