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De Blasio is out with a video response to a damning @NYC_DOI report about how the NYPD policed Black Lives Matter protests this spring. It's remarkably mealy-mouthed & rambling, even in its edited form. /1 https://twitter.com/NYCMayor/status/1339909095223144450
Significant that the mayor issues an "I'm sorry" apology & says he & NYPD are fully accepting & implementing the @NYC_DOI recommendations. This despite how BdB & NYPD leadership almost exclusively defended the police department but for a few individual officer incidents.
Interesting how on Nov. 2 de Blasio said this @NYC_DOI report would be out "very very soon" but somehow it's not out until the Friday before Christmas. That & other big Qs about process here that both the DOI commish & Mayor need to answer. https://twitter.com/TweetBenMax/status/1323294108690141184
Almost hard to believe they published this video. Can't imagine a single person who'd think it's a good presentation of a leader's thoughts. Also can't imagine anyone - BLM activist, police officer, other - watching this & thinking the mayor got it right. https://twitter.com/NYCMayor/status/1339909095223144450
Link to the @NYC_DOI report, "Investigation into NYPD Response to the George Floyd Protests" > https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doi/reports/pdf/2020/DOIRpt.NYPD%20Reponse.%20GeorgeFloyd%20Protests.12.18.2020.pdf
. @MaraGay's second bullet here is true & in a lot of conflict with the mayor saying that he & @NYPDShea agree with @NYC_DOI's recommendations & are implementing them https://twitter.com/MaraGay/status/1339939106172891142
The key @NYC_DOI recommendations about policing start on p. 68 of the report here (p. 72 of the pdf): https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doi/reports/pdf/2020/DOIRpt.NYPD%20Reponse.%20GeorgeFloyd%20Protests.12.18.2020.pdf
De Blasio & the Department of Education today also announced major changes to school admissions policies, & BdB is trying to further obscure the DOI report on the NYPD. The schools chancellor is scheduled to join the mayor at his briefing, the NYPD commissioner is not.
In video BdB also leans on neighborhood policing as a proven strategy for crime-fighting & community relations. There's *zero* proof for those claims (a long-delayed report is supposed to shed light) & BdB needs to square those claims w protest policing. https://twitter.com/emilyngo/status/1339931762810638336
And the mayor starts his briefing with short comments about the DOI report & policing & quickly transitions to the education news. What a very transparent joke. He should be there talking in extensive detail about the DOI report & his leadership of the NYPD, & that alone.
Something I need (& am seeking) some real clarity on: there is an NYPD Inspector General within the @NYC_DOI. The position was created by the City Council in 2013, via an override of a Bloomberg veto. The IG, Philip Eure, is barely mentioned in this new DOI report on the NYPD.
As the mayor is trying to dominate attention via the school admissions news with a simultaneous briefing, the DOI commissioner has started her briefing on its NYPD report - you can watch that here:
What the mayor is doing today is really offensive to New Yorkers. The focus on message control, including a faux taking of responsibility, is really something.
Asked about the DOI report, de Blasio encourages people to watch his video. Reiterates that he & NYPD accept the DOI recs & will implement them. Says NYPD was trying hard under very difficult circumstances.
Says it's not a time for "retribution," it's a time for "change."
Says it's not a time for "retribution," it's a time for "change."
De Blasio indicates no one in NYPD leadership will be held accountable based on the DOI findings, only that everyone must buy in to the recommends for moving ahead.
It is deja vu all over again in some ways, @NYC_DOI Commish Garnett acknowledges when @Gregbsmithnyc mentions this report gets at a lot of the same issues the city saw at the 2004 RNC protests & NYPD response.
One thing that's actually helpful here today as de Blasio deals with NYPD protest policing & announces school admissions changes is that we are seeing some of his most important failures come to a head at the same time, just before the start of his 8th & final year as mayor.
