It’s no secret to New Yorkers that Mayor de Blasio has a “strained” relationship with the NYPD and its Commissioner, William Bratton. Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Bratton have publicly butted heads over a whole host of issues from Black Lives Matter, to the size of the police force, to the effectiveness of the City Council. Early last year the NYPD famously turned their backs on Mayor de Blasio as he delivered the eulogy for a fallen police officer.
Therefore, it shouldn’t be that shocking that Commissioner Bratton surprised Mayor de Blasio yesterday with an article in the New York Times declaring that he didn’t plan to stick around if Mayor de Blasio was elected to a second term, saying “There’s never a good time to leave something you love doing, but there’s a right time.” The announcement left many to speculate to what extent Bratton’s exit would impair Mayor de Blasio’s re-election odds.
Ironically – and conveniently – for the Mayor, the NYPD announced today that they had received funding, from none other than City Hall, to bulk up on heavy ballistic vests and helmets for officers in preparation for future terrorist attacks and and active shooter situations. The plan calls for the purchase of 20,000 ballistic helmets and 6,000 heavy ballistic vests among other equipment and training resources. Commissioner Bratton, said:
“Now, more than ever, society is asking its police officers to go into harm’s way and to face grave danger. The department is fortunate to have the financial support to ensure that as they do, they have the best equipment and protection available.”
As NYPDnews adds, “more than $320 million has been secured to fund a broad spectrum of equipment and training since 2014, including: ballistic vests; helmets and vehicles; tactical escape hoods and belt-worn trauma kits; M4 rifles, OC spray and Tasers; smartphones and tablets; along with a host of training initiatives to complement the equipment and prepare officers for the challenges they face. Much of this funding has been provided by City Hall, the City Council, the New York County District Attorney, among others.”
Mayor de Blasio made the following comment: “New Yorkers depend on our brave men and women in uniform to keep us safe every day, and particularly in the wake of Dallas, Baton Rouge and Kansas City, we need to make smart investments to keep our officers safe in return.”
“Every NYPD officer will be equipped with a new helmet and heavy armored vests so that they are better prepared, and better able to protect themselves and others, in a dangerous situation. This is the latest in a series of investment designed to ensure that the NYPD remains the strongest, most professional police force in the world.”
Like all the other “coincidences” in American politics (a certain tarmac meeting comes to mind) we’re sure this was an earnest effort by a concerned Mayor to protect his police force in a turbulent time and certainly not an effort to rebuild burned bridges with an alienated police force, using taxpayer money, in an effort to protect a re-election campaign.
The post Two Birds, One M4: As NYPD Gears Up for Summer Of Chaos, Mayor de Blasio Secures Re-Election appeared first on crude-oil.top.