Commish faults slam by probers
Sez report on protests ignored what cops faced
A city investigative report that heavily criticized how the NYPD responded to explosive protests across the five boroughs in 2020 didn’t account for the range of issues the department handled in a year like no other, the city’s top cop said Monday.
The nation’s largest police department dealt with factors ranging from the coronavirus to gang violence to reforms affecting bail law — all of which should’ve been better reflected in the most recent department assessment, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said.
“There are always mistakes made and you look back and say what could we have done,” Shea said in a videoconference meeting with the Daily News Editorial Board. “I would add some other things in context. It really didn’t seem to paint the full picture of what was transpiring.”
Shea was responding to a city Department of Investigation report that admonished the NYPD for lacking a “clearly defined strategy” in its handling of citywide protests sparked by the May 25 police-custody death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, which fanned flames of anger and unrest across the country for weeks.
While Shea acknowledged there was room for improvement, he said “unprecedented violence” against the police, an uptick in crime and new laws that he said put criminals back on the street all played a role in how the NYPD handled its greatest challenge in decades.
“It didn’t really look at it from the role of law enforcement,” Shea said of the 115-page report released last week. “Was it looking at it in a vacuum? This wasn’t a unique issue to New York City by any stretch.”
“What surprised us was the intensity of the violence,” Shea said.
“We went from zero to 60, and in short order, facing Molotov cocktails. Ask yourself when was the last time that happened in New York City. When was the last time you saw widespread looting across the country.”
Mayor de Blasio expressed “remorse” after the report was released. “I wish I had done better,” he said.
Ditto Shea, whose self-assessment included a few good grades.
“I think I did a decent job,” Shea said of his response to tactics like mass arrests, and baton and pepper spray use.
“When I saw things that bothered me, I moved more quickly than we historically have moved.”
Shea, during the meeting, touched on several other police issues including homelessness, school patrols and quality-of-life enforcement.
“I don’t think we can ever walk away from quality-of-life enforcement,” Shea said.
“But we need clear direction also. The people of New York City are ultimately going to decide what they want.”