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Council Member Paladino discusses NYPD diversity and community relations
2:30:07
·
4 min
Council Member Vickie Paladino addresses the NYPD officials, focusing on the diversity within the police force and the importance of community relations. She expresses support for the NYPD and criticizes what she perceives as unfair accusations against the department.
- Paladino highlights that 60% of the NYPD is non-white, questioning implications of racial bias within the force.
- She emphasizes the need for respect towards police officers, particularly from young people.
- The council member criticizes the tone of some council hearings, suggesting they unfairly treat NYPD officials like criminals.
Vickie Paladino
2:30:07
Thank you both for being here today.
2:30:10
I wanna thank, my colleague Althea Stevens and, my colleague, Bob Holden.
2:30:18
They brought up, a lot of the things that I have here on, my paper.
2:30:26
I I wanna know what percentage of the NYPD is non white?
2:30:38
40%.
2:30:39
60%.
2:30:40
60%.
2:30:41
Yes.
2:30:43
So the implication here, made by many of my colleagues is that the police force that is that's compromised of almost half non white minorities, black, Hispanic, Asian, and such, is somehow acting on racial hostility against their own communities.
2:31:06
How would you say these accusations by my city council members impact the morale of the NYPD?
Jeffrey Maddrey
2:31:19
What I will say about that, council member, is that you have a lot of men and women in this department who put their lives on the line.
2:31:27
They're very selfless.
2:31:28
They don't think about their own lives, sometimes their own families, and I think we, seen that as a council member Holden spoke about officer Jonathan Della, March 25th.
2:31:41
Last week, I was with the family of Pete Fugoski.
2:31:44
I was his commanding officer, and he responded to, basically, a drug rip and lost his life.
2:31:51
And, 13 years ago, and it's still to this day, I think about it every day.
2:31:55
They'll the men and the women of this department are selfless.
2:31:58
They're not perfect, but they're selfless.
2:32:00
They go out there.
2:32:01
They're trying their best and we just need the support of the people of New York and especially the people of city council.
Vickie Paladino
2:32:08
I agree with you a 100%.
2:32:10
Because it seems that whenever we get together here for what's supposed to be a, safety committee hearing, it always turns, a little, ugly.
2:32:19
And there's no reason for that because I think we're both we're all here as human beings.
2:32:24
And what we want here is the very best for our city and especially our young people.
2:32:32
When your officers patrol a neighborhood, Bob brought this up, Would you believe that the residents are generally very happy to see your presence there?
Jeffrey Maddrey
2:32:45
I would say the the big portion of the neighborhood the the greater portion of the neighborhood is happy that the officers are there.
2:32:51
From my experience going to community meetings all over the city, I've been in community meetings almost in every precinct in this city.
2:32:59
People say they wanna see the police, they wanna work with the police, they want their police to be respectful of them.
Vickie Paladino
2:33:05
That's correct.
Jeffrey Maddrey
2:33:05
We have to acknowledge that.
2:33:07
Mhmm.
2:33:07
Not demand that from our officers as well to be respectful of them, but they do wanna see the police.
Vickie Paladino
2:33:12
And, in in my experience as an older person and raising kids of my own and, generational, it's been my experience that what you teach at home, you take outside with you.
2:33:29
And one of the things I think that needs to be taught more often both at home and in schools is to respect the men and women who are brave enough to put on the uniform.
2:33:41
And I think if they're taught at a very young age, 3, 5, 7, 9, I think as they grow older, they will respect you, and others like you who, like I say, are brave enough to do this.
2:33:55
A relationship with our young people is a must, an absolute must.
2:34:00
And, that's best lessons taught at home and in school.
2:34:05
And when they hear this rhetoric that goes on here, both in chambers and outside of chambers, all it does is reinforce a negative, towards our police.
2:34:16
And I think that really needs to stop.
2:34:19
You don't need to come here and be, questioned as if you are criminals yourselves.
2:34:24
So I'm gonna leave it at that.
2:34:26
Thank you very, very much, for coming here and, putting up with what you, put up with.
2:34:32
I appreciate that.
2:34:33
Thank you.