The president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association said Wednesday that New York Police Department Commissioner James O'Neill should be blamed for public attacks on police and should resign due to his “failed policies.”
“I’m putting the blame on O’Neill as I have in the past, the NYPD is pretty much being run into the ground,” Ed Mullins told "Fox & Friends First."
Two videos of officers being pelted with objects and drenched with water surfaced on social media on Monday. Mayor Bill De Blasio called the videos “unacceptable.”
“We have mixed messages that are coming from the police commissioner and what we’re seeing now is an effect on the cops in the street who are hesitant to get involved, specifically on minor crimes," said Mullins.
In one video, somebody hurled a bucket that hit an officer in the head while he was making an arrest in Harlem. Others joined in to splash the officers with water. NYPD officials called the videos “reprehensible.”
Mullins said officers were hesitant to take action because he speculated that they wanted to avoid an individual getting hurt or killed in the process. In yet another video, two officers are seen on the subway being taunted by a man.
The New York City Police Benevolent Association wrote on Twitter on Tuesday that the incidents are not isolated.
“We have a video going around now of officers verbally being abused on a subway train. That’s disorderly conduct, that’s an arrestable offense, and this is becoming an epidemic in the NYPD. But this stems from failed policies,” Mullins said.
He added that Police Commissioner O'Neill has not yet come to the police officers' defense.
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"He hasn’t defended any of the officers involved in the NYPD since he’s been commissioner and he doesn’t have the backing of the mayor. The rank and file have lost confidence in him."
“It’s time that he resigned in the interest in the department. It is time that he goes,” Mullins said.
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