Report: PBA President Says de Blasio Thinks He's Leading 'Revolution'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Friction boiled over again on Thursday between unions representing NYPD officers and Mayor Bill de Blasio.
As CBS2's Dick Brennan reported, some remarks by Patrolmen's Benevolent Association Patrick Lynch in a private delegate meeting this past Friday were quoted by Capital New York.
The publication reported that Lynch told officers that "extreme discretion" should be used by officers, amid a lack of support by City Hall and Washington following the grand jury decision not to indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo in the death of Eric Garner on Staten Island.
"If we won't get support when we do our jobs, if we're going to get hurt for doing what's right then we're going to do it the way they want it," Lynch was quoted by the publication. "Let me be perfectly clear. We will use extreme discretion in every encounter."
A PBA spokesman reportedly denied that Lynch was hinting at a work slowdown. Commissioner Bill Bratton said he has seen no evidence of a slowdown.
"We see no indications of officers not doing what they are expected to do," Bratton said Thursday.
Lynch also took aim at Mayor de Blasio personally at the private meeting, Capital New York reported.
"He is not running the city of New York," Lynch was quoted. "He thinks he's running a f***ing revolution."
A handful of protesters showed up at PBA Headquarters, at 125 Broad St. in Lower Manhattan, to demonstrate Thursday. They chanted "black lives matter" as they held signs.
Meanwhile, a pro-police Facebook page called "Thank You NYPD" has promoted a pro-police rally between 5 p.m. and midnight Friday outside City Hall. The rally is not sanctioned by the NYPD.
As for Lynch's comments, the PBA said it would not comment because it was during a private meeting. The Mayor's office has not issued a comment.
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