Posted on 12/08/2014 9:36:51 AM PST by SeekAndFind
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio revealed in an interview on Sunday that he has taught his biracial son to not "move suddenly" or "reach for [his] cell phone" when near police officers, adding that the reality is different for white children. A police union chief responded by slamming the comments as "moronic," and said that they do not help ease the racial tensions in the city.
When asked by ABC News on Sunday whether he believes his son, Dante, is at risk from the police department, de Blasio, who is married to an African-American woman, said:
"It's different for a white child. That's just the reality in this country."
He continued: "And with Dante, very early on with my son, we said, 'Look, if a police officer stops you, do everything he tells you to do, don't move suddenly, don't reach for your cell phone,' because we knew, sadly, there's a greater chance it might be misinterpreted if it was a young man of color."
He added that people know that police officers protect them, but warned that "there's that fear that there could be that one moment of misunderstanding with a young man of color and that young man may never come back."
New York (Photo: Reuters/Eduardo Munoz/Files)New York City mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio (right), his wife, Chirlane McCray, daughter, Chiara, and son, Dante, pose for a picture as they arrive to speak with supporters at an event in Manhattan, New York, on Aug. 18, 2013.
The NYC mayor's comments follow several nights of protests that gripped a number of U.S. cities, including New York, following a grand jury's decision not to indict the white police officer involved in the controversial death of unarmed black man Eric Garner.
Ed Mullins, head of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, slammed de Blasio's comments as "moronic," NY Daily News reported, and argued that the mayor "doesn't belong" in New York.
"He has a security detail of New York City police officers assigned to protect his family. And yet he's making statements that his son shouldn't feel safe with New York City cops," Mullins said on John Catsimatidis' radio show on AM970.
"Ultimately, if this individual who's in charge of running this city doesn't have faith in his own son being protected by the NYPD, he may want to think about moving out of New York City completely. He just doesn't belong here," he added.
De Blasio has also been criticized by Patrick Lynch, head of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, the city's largest police union, who accused the mayor of throwing police "under the bus" by telling his son to be wary of police officers.
NYC Police Commissioner Bill Bratton further added that many police officers feel that they are "under assault" in America as a result of the protests that have swept the nation.
"Policing at the moment is under attack, it really is," Bratton said.
In his interview on Sunday, de Blasio denied that he has thrown police "under the bus," however, and said that he has "immense respect" for law enforcement agents. He added that improving training and communication can "transcended" problems between police and minority communities.
"The point here is we have a whole series of things we have to do to change the dynamics in our city. This is true all over the country," the NYC mayor said. "We have to retrain police forces in how to work with communities differently. We have to work on things like body cameras that will provide a different level of transparency and accountability. This is something systemic. And we bluntly have to talk about the historic racial dynamics that underlie this."
I have honestly said the same thing to my white sons when they were old enough to play manhunt with their friends; they should make sure the cops can see their hands at all times. We don’t live in a bad area, but in the end cops want to go home to their families at the end of their shifts like anyone else.
He’s a racist and a communist.
Well, New Yorkers voted for this idiot - they can live with the consequences. I for one have zero interest in visiting NYC - many other alternatives to choose from.
So in a confrontation with a cop, I should NOT reach into a pocket and suddenly produce a metallic/plastic device?
How long has he been sitting on this information?
I pity his son.
And I wonder what useless low-IQ marshmallow major his son will pursue in college?
Never mind, we all know what profession requires the least mental capability.
This man is the mayor of NYC?
Those who live in that city should be ashamed and walk with their heads down for a generation (at least).
If residents of NYC say it’s not their fault, that the city is corrupt; I say it is their fault for not putting an end to the corruption.
Poli-Sci of course.
Nothing but an idiot is in a confrontation with a cop and decides to whip out a cell phone or go suddenly grabbing through the car.
Yep, both hands on steering wheel if pulled over. Difference is we follow the rules so there are few "accidents". They fight the police and then when shot they complain that cops are out to get them - go figure.
Yep, remaining calm and not resisting a temporary detention or arrest (even a wrongful arrest) is the wise way to go. You can fight in court and win but if you try it on the street you will lose every single time.
Ben there and will never go back.
Why some rave about the socialist cesspit is beyond me.
Exactly
That's what court is for.
Don’t worry, the mayhem will start and body bags will start filling up soon enough with this idiot running the city.
Warren should talk to Dinkens about it.
RE: Well, New Yorkers voted for this idiot - they can live with the consequences
Actually, less than 20% of NYC voted for him. The rest simply stayed home.
Reveals Teaching Biracial Son Not to ‘Reach for Cell Phone’ Near Police Officers
Goody for you....So what?
[ Yep, remaining calm and not resisting a temporary detention or arrest (even a wrongful arrest) is the wise way to go. You can fight in court and win but if you try it on the street you will lose every single time. ]
Dittoes on this, with the added side note: When the rule of law breaks down (and we are slowly inching there) and they start rounding up people for no good damn reason, then the ONLY recourse IS to FIGHT IN THE STREETS.
We still have a tenious grasp of the rule of law in this country for now....
Really? Just ask Dillon Taylor. No, wait, you can't ask him. That white boy was shot dead in Utah by a police officer of color around the same time as Michael Brown was shot, for pulling his hands out of his pockets. Surely everyone remembers the intense media coverage and all the white people rioting. Actually, there were no white people, or blacks, rioting over Dillon Taylor.
As other comments on this thread have said, I taught ALL my children to not make sudden moves around police. I have also taught them to leave their hands on the steering wheel until the officer has approached and verbally and visually recognized what they are doing. I also teach them to tell the officer where they will be reaching for the registration, license, and insurance I.D.
What a schmuck DeBlasio is.
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