Following pending investigations by the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, 52nd Precinct Deputy Inspector Peter Fiorillo contested allegations that officers were using illegal methods to up their 2017 gun arrests at the precinct’s monthly council meeting Jan. 25.

The investigation was first reported by the New York Daily News. Fiorillo described the article as “horrible,” affirming that officers at the precinct targeted specific individuals rather than running through the streets trying to confront people spontaneously.

Peter Jones of the Legal Aid Society said in the Daily News article that the non-profit noticed patterns of complaints of officers falsifying consent and illegally stopping people “in an attempt to generate information on unrelated cases.”

Fiorillo said his officers were willing to testify in any of the arrests that they have made.

“I believe they can explain how they made that arrest in a very justified and legal way,” said Fiorillo. “We went after specific individuals who we had information on. We didn’t just randomly go out there and turn the whole neighborhood upside down.”

The investigations are also looking into whether police officers offered empty deals to suspects in exchange for information and harassed people in their homes.

“We’re very transparent. We don’t hide anything,” said Fiorillo. “If you don’t believe my officers, let’s go to trial.”