On April 7, 2013, the National Police Defense Foundation (NPDF) at the request of the Commanding
General of the Ecuadorian National Police brought into the United States Corporal Nancy Choto for a
prosthetic leg after she was the victim of a hit and run accident that led to the amputation of her leg.
The officer was further traumatized when her husband took his life in light of her injuries and disability.
On April 28, 2013, Corporal Choto was checked into the Queens Ramada Inn located at 164-40 Hillside
Avenue, Queens, New York since she was scheduled to receive a “Valor Award” at the 2013 NPDF
Annual Awards Dinner on May 1, 2013.
During her stay, The Ramada Inn refused numerous requests for a handicapped accessible room and
stated they didn’t have one at the hotel, which is an alleged violation of the “American for Disabilities
Act”. In addition, the hotel staff refused several requests to buy a plastic lawn chair to put in the shower
area so the disabled officer could take a shower.
Almost immediately, the NPDF Executive Director contacted Ramada Inn’s Customer Service
Department only to be told the Queens hotel was a franchise of which they have minimal control, but
promised to investigate the incident and get back to the NPDF in a week or so. The matter was escalated
to Ramada Inn’s Presidential Executive Offices wherein they promised to investigate and call back that
same day which never occurred. As a result, Corporal Choto was checked out of the Ramada Inn on May
1, 2013 and placed in a Hilton Hotel that had handicapped accessible rooms.
The incident was investigated by veteran reporter Phil Messing of the New York Post who
contacted Christine DaSilva, the Vice President of Wyndam Hotel Group which owns the
Ramada inn. Despite the intervention by the New York Post, there were never any returned
calls or a formal apology made to the officer or the National Police Defense Foundation from
either Ramada Inn Executive Offices or the Wyndam Hotel Group.
It is therefore recommended that the 190,000 members and supporters of the National Police
Defense Foundation boycott all Ramada Inn’s for their alleged lack of concern for a disabled
police officer, disregard of the “American for Disabilities Act” and blatant disrespect to the
entire law enforcement community.
It is also recommended that protest letters be sent to the Wyndam Hotel Group at 22 Sylvan
Way, Parsippany, New Jersey 07054 or by contacting their Executive Offices at 800-578-7545
For further information please contact Joseph Occhipinti, Executive Director, National Police
Defense Foundation at 732-617-2330.