Bloomberg Vetoes NYPD Watchdog Proposal
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg vetoed the most ambitious plan proposed in years, the Huffington Post reports, for oversight of the New York Police Department.
The measures would create an outside watchdog for the department and more latitude for lawsuits claiming discriminatory policing, the article says. The legislation was crystallized from concerns over the NYPD’s use of Stop-and-Frisk tactics and widespread surveillance of Muslims.
Bloomberg said in veto messages that the measures are “dangerous and irresponsible,” and he argued that the legislation would undermine safety by burying the department in lawsuits and inquiries, making officers hesitant to act for fear of coming under scrutiny, and undercutting policing techniques that have cut crime dramatically in recent years, Huffington Post reports.
The long-expected veto, however, puts the proposals on course for a possible override vote later this summer. Civil rights advocates and other proponents of the legislation say the measures would make the city safer by repairing frayed trust between police and citizens who feel unfairly targeted by stops and surveillance.
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