Sergeants Union Blasts Politicos
The NYPD Sergeants Union is blasting ill-advised attempts of “reform,” calling them “preposterously disingenuous.”
If your association or union has written similar letters to either your members or the public, please send them along so we can get them out to all the leaders on our email list.
The Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA) of New York City is a founding member of PubSecAlliance.
Dear Fellow Sergeant:
The NYPD is one of America’s greatest institutions. Being a sergeant requires courage and commitment. Overall, the rank represents our profession, as well as the citizens of New York City at its finest and best. Without your hard work, dedication, enthusiasm, commitment, intelligence and integrity, there would be lawlessness. The city itself, which includes everyone who resides, works or visits here, would be far less than it is.
From the perspective of leadership, convenience and self-interest should never take precedence over responsibility. Today we hear the loud cries of the naysayers and critics who call for change simply for the sake of self-interest, self-promotion and self-aggrandizement.
Yet, they offer no solutions – absolutely NONE! The naysayers are our inept and spineless public officials who sit amongst the City Council and propose legislation that can only be described as preposterously disingenuous.
One bill, known as the Right to Know Act, would require officers to identify themselves to people they stop by providing a business card and obtaining verbal or written consent before searching an individual if no warrant or probable cause for arrest exists, even though the officer suspects there might be a threat against themselves or the public.
Another bill being proposed requires reports from the NYPD on the location of officers who have been cited by the Civilian Complaint Review Board. And yet other bills require the department to submit annual reports to identify the city’s top 35 high-crime areas, create a task force to study the body camera program, and require the department to issue quarterly reports on the use of force and how often it is related to quality of life offenses.
In addition, Councilman Rory Lancman is also sponsoring a bill requiring the NYPD to publish annual reports on how often officers use force, and another to allow officers to only use “injurious physical force” when they need to protect themselves or others from the threat of injury or death.
Better yet, one bill would ban officers from using chokeholds on suspects. Amazingly, no one seems to give any thought about an officer fighting for their life or pulling a
deranged and dangerous person off an innocent crime victim. Where is the common sense in this bill?
The Council boasts that they are looking to comprehensively reform police and community relations.
Really? Is this what they are truly trying to do?
They claim that the nine bills cover different aspects of police-community relations. If so, I wish someone could explain how Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito has not taken a public position on any of the bills.
The truth is, in the past two years, all we have seen are failed policies, more homeless encampments on city streets, a 10 percent increase in homicides, and the diminishing of our hard-earned and well-deserved public perception of the safest large city in America.
Our political leaders have done nothing other than ask the people of this city to retreat from the sense of common good, and go back to the days when just a few made the decisions for the many. Yes, it sure is easy to wave the flag of criticism and offer no new ideas or real solutions to common everyday problems.
The call for accountability of the NYPD is fine. We should be accountable to the citizenry, as should every member of the nationwide law enforcement community. But, shouldn’t accountability go both ways? We, the “Good Guys,” are sworn to protect our citizens. Shouldn’t our public officials be held to the same standard? I certainly believe that to be the case.
During these uncertain times, we cannot retreat from our goals. Today, I am asking each of you, along with your friends, family members and the silent majority of New Yorkers, to get more involved. As you travel about the City of New York, please utilize your smart phones to photograph the homeless lying in our streets, aggressive panhandlers, people urinating in public or engaging in open-air drug activity, and quality of life offenses of every type.
Please send these photos and locations to PEEKABOO@SBANYC.ORG. We were sworn to protect this city – and that we will do. All photos will be posted on the Peek-A-Boo page on our website and our sergeants will notify our public officials in writing of what is being observed. We will refer issues to the proper agencies, and we will help create accountability equally across the board.
Please understand that sworn, active members of law enforcement are prohibited from photographing members of the public while on duty. However, photos may be taken while traveling to and from work or any time off duty. Our friends, family and members of the public are free to take photos as they see fit.
As I stated previously, our sergeants are going to lead the way, and we are going to make a difference in what lies ahead for both the members of law enforcement and the people we serve. The public deserves nothing less.
Attempts to pass self-promoting agendas are not the answer to building relationships with communities who don’t trust the police. It only serves to lie to people who are trying to live life and share in a piece of the American Dream.
Please remain PATIENT. These issues are going to be resolved and we are going to lead the way.
Fraternally,
Ed Mullins
President
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