Eric Garner fallout: Cops feel "thrown under the bus," union says

[Blue_Tires]

NEW YORK -- The head of New York City's police union said officers felt "thrown under the bus" by Mayor Bill de Blasio following a Staten Island grand jury's decision not to indict an officer in the death of Eric Garner, CBS New York station WCBS-TV reports.

Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said the mayor needs to do more to support New York City cops.

"What police officers felt yesterday after that press conference is that they were thrown under the bus," Lynch told reporters Thursday. "That they were out there doing a difficult job in the middle of the night, protecting the rights of those to protest, protecting our sons and daughters and the mayor was behind microphones like this throwing them under the bus."

The mayor said he and his wife, Chirlane, have had to have painful conversations with their teenage son, Dante, about "how to take special care with any encounter he may have with police officers."

"I've had to worry over the years, Chirlane has had to worry: Is Dante safe each night?" de Blasio said Wednesday. "And not just from some of the painful realities of crime and violence in some of our neighborhoods but safe from the very people they want to have faith in as their protectors."

Lynch slammed the mayor's comments, saying "our city is safe because of police officers" and said New Yorkers should be afraid of the criminals, not the police.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/eric-garner-case-reaction-from-new-york-city-mayor-riles-police-union/

[Xipe Totec]

1. A more appropriate metaphor would be "Shot at from all sides"

That must be really, really hard.

[FreakinDJ]

7. The Police Officer's Union is what has got them into this mess

Deciding to legally defend the actions of Every Officer - Every Time regardless of how heinous their actions was just beginning

Issuing bogus reports why officers must "Shot First Ask Questions Later" was their first mistake

Issuing Police Chiefs across the country instructions of how to manipulate the media, the public, and Grand Juries in "Wrongful Death cases - was just the icing on the cake

[AngryOldDem]

39. And guess what the strongest unions are in the U.S. anymore?

Police unions. That's why nothing is done in cases like this.

Joy Reed pointed this out on Lawrence O'Donnell.

What people who defend the cops in these actions don't understand is, all this is a prelude to how they will eventually treat the general public, if something isn't done about it NOW. Care to be pulled out of your car and get the shit beat out of you at a routine traffic stop? It can -- and probably will --happen, sooner rather than later.

A lot of stuff can be done -- and excused -- by yelling "public safety" and "law and order."

[rurallib]

2. I don't suppose we could expect them to comment on out of control officers

or offer to help retrain or remove them from the force?

My thought is that shielding and making excuses for the out of control officers makes it more difficult and dangerous for all police. Standing in the way of reform in this matter is a detriment to the union.

[Cha]

23. Evidently not.. just whining about reality.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. Cry baby response n/t

[City Lights]

4. Awww, poor things.

[nichomachus]

5. Boo-fucking-hoo n/t

[lpbk2713]

6. " ... should be afraid of the criminals, not the police."

In a perfect world.

But unfortunately that is not the case.

[bluesbassman]

30. In many cases it's not an easy distinction to make.

Perhaps if there were less LEO's engaging in criminal activity his comment would carry more weight. Policing the police starts within their own ranks.

[NYC Liberal]

34. And the two aren't mutually exclusive.

Many times the police ARE the criminals -- even if they're never held accountable.

[malaise]

8. Well they are alive

Let them talk to the folks who lost their partner, their child, their parent.
Until the 'good cops' condemn this crap they're all on their own.

[joeybee12]

9. Ask me if I care...

Who are they, Sarah Palin, always playing the victim?

[frylock]

10. those poor, delicate flowers..

how will they carry on abusing and murdering people?

[moondust]

11. Lynch: "If you're speaking, you can breathe."

Dumbest meme of all.

Anyone can do this: Push all the air out of your lungs and see how many times you can audibly say "I can't breathe." It takes almost no air or breathing at all to use one's voice to mumble a few words.

Listen closely to Eric Garner on the video and it's clear that he is in distress.

[sadoldgirl]

12. Those poor little kids

[Bandit]

13. "our city is safe because of police officers"

certainly not for unarmed black men..

[AngryOldDem]

40. Yeah...that comment was especially shameful. n/t

[jwirr]

14. Under the bus huh? Now maybe they understand how so many of us abandoned by the corporate

rulers feel. They are busy enforcing the laws for those rulers.

[appal_jack]

52. You speak truth, jwirr.

If the police only protect the 1%, why should they expect the support of the 99%?

They are paid with public $$ and entrusted with police powers by the public. They need to serve & protect all the public, regardless of race, gender, class, and all other distinctions.

k&r,

-app

[Cali_Democrat]

15. fuck tha police. nt

[napkinz]

16. ...

[Cha]

24. Yeah, the whiner in the OP needs to get a good does of reality.

[uppityperson]

18. It is too bad they have let police abuse go on for so long, that they haven't stepped up and stopped

those who treat their employers, the public, with disrespect, abuse.

[Odin2005]

19. Oh, fuck them.

[Liberal_in_LA]

20. ..

[olddots]

21. the world needs another Serpico right now

Cops used to get paid by mobsters to break unions , now they are mobsters with thier own union . (Generalization they deserve)

[Cha]

22. This is on Daneil Pantaleo, the "prosecutor" and the GJ.. The police need to look at themselves and

not be whining about the reality of what other people are saying.. including the Mayor of NYC.

[H2O Man]

25. Some cops are criminals,

and some criminals are cops.

[robinlynne]

26. their feelings? really? THEIR feelings?

[R B Garr]

27. Saw that. His demeanor was atrocious for such a City Slicker.

The Mayor has to say something after an NYPD posse is filmed strangling citizens in the street, for God's sake.

[Kalidurga]

28. I prefer them in it...

[SamKnause]

29. Disgusting, absolutely disgusting.

I fear the situation is hopeless.

They won't even admit their is a problem.

They protect their criminal cohorts at all costs.

I have ZERO trust in the judicial system.

I have ZERO trust in the penal system.

I have ZERO trust in the police.

They live in an impenetrable bubble.

In their corrupt world, it is us versus them.

They view us all as scumbags.

They are not interested in earning respect.

I am a 61 year old white woman.

I had a panic attack at my brothers house.

We were dancing in his garage.

The garage door was open.

The music was loud.

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon.

It was my mother's 90 birthday party.

My mother's church friends were there.

I was suddenly gripped with fear.

I could picture the patrol cars pulling into the driveway.

I could picture them with their guns drawn.

I am terrified of the police in the U.S.

I can not imagine what it is like to live in this country if your skin is not white.

[GReedDiamond]

31. "New Yorkers should be afraid of the criminals, not the police."

I agree.

Which means that the police should stop acting like - and being - criminals.

[Rex]

32. And of course the cop unions and groups just don't get it. On purpose.

SO we all finally realize that maybe, just maybe there are more bad cops than good cops? So far I haven't seen a single cop say anything sane about the choking death. Just mean spirited things about Garners weight, kinda like some of the posters you would expect on Freeper website.

If cops don't want to crybaby about life all the time, they better wake the fuck up and start policing their own better and for GODS sake keep the fucking KKK out of the fraternal order of police!

I think we are seeing a lot of skinheads that turned into cops for the love of brutality. I refuse to believe all cops are that blatantly racist.

[loyalsister]

33. How bad does it have to get

(as far as behavior) before a union will draw a line and say a member "no longer should receive our unconditional support."?
Aren't there policy standards somewhere? Or would the stand by a domestic abuser, child molester, serial killer???

[abelenkpe]

35. Wait what?

The mayor threw them under the bus? It's not like the whole country has just watched the police kill an unarmed man on video and walk free uncharged and still employed. But the mayor gave them bad press?

[msanthrope]

36. These fuckin' cops.....nt

[RedCappedBandit]

37. Fucking hilarious.

They want people not to be afraid of the police? They want better public relations?

Then they of all people should be pushing for ACCOUNTABILITY.

Protecting our right to protest? BULLSHIT. The NYPD were the only ones STOPPING us from protesting.

[HappyMe]

38. Tough shit.

They flung themselves under the bus.

[TheKentuckian]

41. It is foolish to think these people are going to be "reformed" and it is stupid to not get

that they will use whatever power and influence they have, which is significant, to undo anyone who tries even in the most mealy mouthed and mild fashion.

These fucks are going to have to be brought down and broken. Don't have the stomach for it? Then you are part of and encouraging the problem, a cheerleader for murder and abuse. Might as well get your "pants up don't loot" shirt and kneepads for giving out blowies more comfortable on and look for the local KKK chapter.

[avebury]

42. The Mayor has not any different a conversation wtih

his son then thousands of black parents or, as in this case, bi-racial parents have had with their children. The reaction of Lynch is tone deaf to say the least. If Lynch thinks that only minority families are concerned about police behavior I can probably find a bridge to sell him.

[RobinA]

43. The Knee Jerk

tarring on this thread of an entire group of people because of the actions of a few who make the news for bad behavior is truly disgusting. Kinda like (actually, exactly like) the racism people like to make a show of decrying. If people were really against racism and other forms of grouphate, they'd be against it in all forms.

[Iggo]

44. Lucky they don't feel "choked to death on the sidewalk."

That would suck.

[99Forever]

45. Cry me a river, a**hole.

Fuck the police.

[IDemo]

46. "Patrolmen's Benevolent Association"

The phrase begs the question - what benevolence?

[SidDithers]

47. Hey, cops. Stop killing the people you're supposed to be protecting...nt

Sid

[reflection]

48. People WANT to feel safe around the police, Mr. Lynch

the fact that they don't is not the peoples' fault, it's the fault of bad cops and those who cover for them. Simple, no need to overthink it. And no need to pout and cry. Either clean your own house or the people will eventually make sure it is done for you. We want good honest cops working the beat instead of a bunch of thugs. That's all.

[maced666]

49. Yep. "White". "Cop". All the same.

Little racism coming out as well, with all the 'white cop' 'all white cop' quotes we see.
Exposure.
I see you!

[marlakay]

50. Good cops need to unite and stand against

What is happening or things will get worse...by saying nothing except to family members or friends, they are going along with the violence.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

51. I wonder if this police organization has ever admitted police culpability in any case in its history

or whether it should be renamed the Police Infallibility Union.

[Renew Deal]

54. I understand where both sides are coming from

I was surprised by DiBlasios remarks. He is the head of that police department and I think it shows a shocking lack of confidence. I'm sure DiBlasio had that discussion, but he shouldn't have brought it up in this way. He's trying to relate to the people on the streets. We know there is a national problem. But he has to also understand his role as the leader of that department.