City Councilman Lander Perplexed By Opposition To Proposed NYPD Inspector General
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A proposed measure in the New York City Council to establish an inspector general for the NYPD has Mayor Michael Bloomberg furious.
Bloomberg has said of the proposal to add an inspector general to oversee the department, "you won't be safe anymore, and you are now."
WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reports
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The measure in the city council was co-sponsored by Brooklyn Democrat Brad Lander, who said the mayor is overreacting.
"I don't understand why the mayor is fear-mongering and talking about the murder rate and shootings when what we're talking about is a standard good government practice that exists in every other agency," Lander told WCBS 880's Rich Lamb. "Really, the only reason I can see why you would object to having an inspector general in the NYPD just like you have them in every other agency is that you prefer to hide the truth."
The proposal, introduced in June, came amid concerns over the department's stop-and-frisk policy.
Lander said the idea that an inspector general would bring politics to the police department is wrong, noting that IGs are common practice at government agencies.
"They don't set policy, they don't bring politics. They just are able to conduct investigations to see is the law being followed, are civil rights being protected, is there waste, fraud or abuse - and where there is, what can we do to fix it before it harms morale, before it leads to lawsuits,"
Lander also pointed out that most major city agencies have an inspector general, as do the FBI and CIA.
State lawmakers have already proposed a similar legislation that is stalled in Albany. And the city's public advocate has also suggested creating the inspector general position.
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