Once again, New York Police Department officers find themselves in the crosshairs of another racially fueled scandal.
Yesterday, as many New Yorkers marched during the West Indian Day parade in Brooklyn, an argument broke out between
NYPD officers and Brooklyn city councilman Jumaane D. Williams, along with Public Advocate aide Kirsten John Foy.
NYC Councilman Arrested By NYPD (VIDEO)
Williams and Foy weren’t allowed to use a closed sidewalk, so instead of the officers asking to see identification, even though Williams was wearing a council member’s pin, an argument ensued, leading to the councilman and aid Joy being handcuffed and detained.
The two men weren’t charged with any crime, but the damage was already done. As with many cases revolving around the NYPD, race is the underlying issue.
NYPD Go H.A.M. After Pete Rock & Smif-N-Wessun Concert! (PHOTO x VIDEO)
On Tuesday, both men say they tried to show their city IDs to officers, but their efforts were ignored. Foy says an officer knocked him to the ground and pushed his face into the grass. Williams says he thinks it happened because he is a “35-year-old black man with dreadlocks.”
Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries said that, “is further evidence of the siege mentality the N.Y.P.D. has unleashed against black men in New York City.”
I’m not defending the NYPD, their lives are on the line every day and putting yourself in harm’s way comes with the job, it’s what they signed up for. And surveying the atmosphere throughout the entire weekend in New York City with 48 shootings between the Bronx and Brooklyn alone, it’s understandable why many NYPD officers were on edge, but it’s still no excuse for excessive behavior.
Back in June, after a Pete Rock and Smif-N-Wessun album release party at New York City’s Tammany Hall, things turned violently ugly when NYPD police officers became overly aggressive toward the crowd of party goers after they didn’t disperse quickly enough following the concert.
The entire ruckus was captured on video and in the clip, you can hear NYPD officers telling people, “Fuck off! Get off the block!”
It’s this type of behavior that has consistently widened the gap between the NYPD and the Black community.
Their overly aggressive style of conduct isn’t accepted in many communities in New York City. From my experience, you can’t even talk with officers without them giving you some sort of smug attitude.
Aren’t they supposed to protect and serve? Then why are they harassing a government official?
The NYPD may need sensitivity training. The last thing New Yorkers wanted to read on the front page is “New York Councilman Killed By NYPD.” You can never gauge the temperament of the NYPD.
The events that took place yesterday shouldn’t have escalated to the level it did. Luckily, it didn’t turn into a Sean Bell situation.
