The New York Police Department turned its back on Mayor Bill de Blasio at a press conference in 2014 following the murder of a few of their officers. That's because just a few days before, the mayor accused the police of being responsible for the "distrust" in their community. He has also told the press that he has raised his black son to be aware of the "dangers" posed by police.
To the NYPD, the mayor had spurred the community's animosity against them and may have put a target on their backs. Pat Lynch, president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, even accused the mayor of "throwing them under the bus."
So, when De Blasio, now a presidential contender, said at Wednesday night's Democratic primary that he hopes to bridge the divide between cops and community members, the NYPD scoffed.
History repeats itself. @BilldeBlasio said he wants to bring cops and community together. Ask any cop on the street what impact his divisive rhetoric has had #DemDebate https://t.co/taSPVfDVKB
— NYC PBA (@NYCPBA) June 27, 2019
The PBA, which represents over 50,000 current and former officers, also gave the mayor a piece of their minds.
We're working hard to get guns off the street @BilldeBlasio . You must have been too busy to go to the last Compsat meeting because SHOOTINGS ARE UP 9.7%. "Safest Big City" in the country doesn't feel that way to many especially in Brooklyn. #DemDebate
— NYC PBA (@NYCPBA) June 27, 2019
De Blasio may have tried to get some momentum going last night by picking fights with his opponents, but he has barely been registering in the 2020 Democratic polls.
