Police commissioner Ray Kelly told Playboy magazine that he felt betrayed by Democratic New York City mayoral candidates — including mayor-elect Bill de Blasio — and that they used him to play political football during the primaries by attacking his stop-and-frisk policy.
“I resented it. I think I’ve had a long, distinguished career,” Kelly said, according to The New York Post. “It just goes to show you what some politicians will do. They’ll say or do anything to get elected. I know all these people. They all claimed to be friends of mine until their mayoral campaigns.”
Problem is, Kelly said, Democratic primaries are dominated by the leftist fringe: “The reality is the Democratic primary is controlled by extreme elements of the party. The candidates know that, so they have to go to extremes themselves. They were pandering to get votes.”
“Do you think they were just full of shit?” reporter Glenn Plaskin asked Kelly.
“Absolutely,” Kelly said.
Kelly also defended the stop-and-frisk policy, noting that it saved the lives of many of young minority men that opponents claimed it oppressed. (RELATED: Liberal mob shouts down speaker at Brown U, calls it free speech)
“Notice what they never talk about — the lives being saved,” Kelly said. “During the past 11 years, we had 7,363 fewer murders than we had in the 11 years before… Last year the homicide rate was the lowest in at least 50 years… I know we’re saving lives, and I know we’re doing the right thing.”
“The notion of hatred has been stirred up by a small number of advocacy groups that have done a great job at marketing this concept,” Kelly continued. “You might read something snarky on Twitter, but I could take you right now to 125th Street in Harlem and young men will stop me for my picture and give me a very favorable and friendly greeting. “They understand that we’re saving lives in their community, that they’re the ones at risk.”