New York attorney general recommends reducing mayor's power over police
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[July 09, 2020]
By Jonathan Allen
NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Attorney
General Letitia James recommended that New York City's mayor give up
sole control over the city police commissioner's hiring, in a
preliminary report released on Wednesday on her investigation into the
policing of recent protests.
She urged the creation of a commission with representatives from the
mayor, City Council, public advocate and comptroller who would oversee
hiring and promotion of senior New York Police Department officials. The
commission would have final say on the department's budget and officer
discipline.
"There should be an entirely new accountability structure for NYPD,"
James said in her report, which also recommended giving more power to
the Civilian Complaint Review Board, a city agency that reviews police
misconduct.
Mayor Bill de Blasio's office rejected the idea of a new commission.
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"While we thank the Attorney General for her investigation and look
forward to reviewing the report in full and working together to further
reform policing in this city, we do not believe creating a commission to
oversee the NYPD does that," spokeswoman Freddi Goldstein said in a
statement.
In a call with reporters, James said she could not impose her
recommendations, but said protesters against police violence who have
rallied in the city's streets for more than a month could compel the
mayor to consider adopting them.
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New York State Attorney General, Letitia James, announces a lawsuit
by the state of New York against e-cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc in
New York City, U.S., November 19, 2019. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
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She also declined to say if she would note any wrongdoing by
officers, some of whom were seen kicking and shoving protesters,
hitting them with batons, and dousing them in pepper spray in scenes
captured in scores of videos in late May and early June. Dozens of
people testified before James last month that they were hurt or
injured by police while peacefully protesting.
"I don't know if we were tasked with the ability to judge the
police," James told reporters. "We were tasked with the
responsibility of looking at the interactions between police and
protesters."
De Blasio and his police commissioner, Dermot Shea, have defended
the department's response, saying the use of force was mostly
proportionate to what they described as threats of violence by
civilians.
Her investigation began in May after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo
said he was alarmed by "disturbing violent clashes" between officers
and protesters, who began daily rallies after the killing in
Minneapolis of George Floyd.
James told reporters a final report and set of recommendations would
be released at an unspecified later date.
(Reporting by Jonathan Allen; Editing by Richard Chang)
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