Akai Gurley Verdict Highlights Concerns About NYPD Training
Rookie NYPDÂ officer Peter Liang's conduct in the aftermath of his fatal shooting of 28-year-old Akai Gurley in a darkened New York City housing project stairwell has drawn fresh questions about the police department's training regimen.
The rookie officer was patrolling the stairwell with his gun drawn in 2014 when he became startled by a noise and fired his gun, striking Gurley on a lower floor. Liang said he fired by accident. He acknowledged not helping the victim's girlfriend try to revive him, but he explained that he thought it was wiser to wait for professional medical aid. Both he and his partner, another rookie officer, both admitted to not knowing how to properly administer CPR.
Former NYPD captain and police academy instructor John Eterno told WNYC that the NYPD will have to answer for the officers' inability to administer a basic emergency procedure like CPR. But Eterno said he's more concerned about two rookie officers being assigned to a strenuous assignment like vertical patrol without any veteran guidance.
"[Rookie officers] are not really ready, they need much more than just 'Here's your gun and shield,'" said Eterno. "They need a veteran officer so that they understand the nuances of what they're doing."
Eterno spoke to WNYC's Jami Floyd on All Things Considered.
