hoto: Social Extremely
Is the independent monitoring of cases where a grand jury fails to indict a cop who has killed an unarmed citizen an unjust tactic?
Patrick Lynch, president of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, says "yes." And he, along with NYC Police Commissioner Bill Bratton are opposing any efforts to do so, reported The Daily News.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has proposed independent monitoring in such cases as the one involving Staten Island resident Eric Garner. But he is getting pushback from police officers, starting from the top all the way down. Lynch is calling it a blatantly unjust and inequitable concept that "would effectively place police officers in a separate justice system..." ... ironic, considering many feel cops, who are often absolved in unarmed shooting cases, are the one held to a separate justice system to begin with.
However, Bratton argues that morale in the police department already is very low: "Policing demonstrations, crowd management, crowd control is difficult at any time," said Bratton. "But when it's being directed against you, it can have a wearing effect."
He said, to add further scrutiny to the department would only serve to wear the officers down further.
"Some of our elected leaders may have repeatedly proclaimed their 'support' for police officers," said Lynch, "but their actions and policies have amounted to official support for those who distrust and disdain law enforcement."
