A Rocky Blue Line Divides de Blasio From Police
Bill de Blasio ran for mayor four years ago promising to reduce the reliance on stop-and-frisk policing. True to his word, the number of stops has fallen dramatically (though technically, the decline began at the tail end of his predecessor's term as public pressure grew).
But de Blasio's wariness towards certain policing strategies earned him hostility from rank-and-file cops — at least at first. Less than a year into his term, a grand jury declined to indict the police officer implicated in the death of Eric Garner, an African-American stopped for allegedly selling untaxed cigarettes. That night, de Blasio talked publicly about how he and his wife were concerned about whether his bi-racial son Dante would be harmed by police.
"De Blasio, I think, was speaking to try to address the fear and anger in black families," said Jarrett Murphy, executive editor of City Limits. "He was talking about a real conversation that does take place. But the reaction to it from the police and their allies and even some others was pretty negative."
In the years since, the mayor has taken pains to gain the trust and respect of the NYPD, while also struggling to curb the use of excessive force by uniformed officers.
As part of WNYC's election coverage, Murphy spoke with WNYC host Richard Hake about the mayor's record on policing and crime.
For more on the election, go to WNYC's Voters Guide, produced in collaboration with City Limits and Gotham Gazette.
