Since Eric Garners tragic death five months ago today, just blocks from my district office, I have clearly and repeatedly expressed my respect for the thousands of officers who risk their lives to keep our city safe -- and do so with courtesy, professionalism and respect. My words have been printed on the front page of the Staten Island Advance, and they are backed up by solid relationships between my office and our local police leadership, relationships that have only strengthened in the last five months. Unfortunately, many residents of our city, including some leaders and elected officials, have stoked anger and division by painting this issue as an anti-NYPD vs pro-NYPD issue. If anyone thinks that my calls for accountability are anti-NYPD, they should start by talking to my police chief, deputy chief and commanding officers in our precincts. While youre at it, talk to my uncles and my cousins, because I come from a family of law enforcement officials. We have been clear from the beginning that we demand accountability in the NYPD, no different from the accountability we demand from our elected officials, our teachers, our bankers, our service workers and our staffs. If opposing the actions of a handful of officers is anti-NYPD, the false logic would follow that opposing the policies of our president is anti-American. In this great city, we should all be smarter than that, and more civil to one another. Accountability in an institution only strengthens it, and that is what we seek. We share the same goals: a safe city where the rights of all our residents — regardless of neighborhood, race or occupation — are respected by all. And well never realize those goals if we resort to distorting the facts and painting caricatures of the other side.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 19:43:40 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015