After a surge in gun violence, two prominent black community members have called for the return of the NYPD’s Anti-Crime Unit, which was disbanded during anti-police protests in the city.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, a former police officer, said that “a total elimination” of the police “is something we need to reevaluate,” CBS New York reported. (RELATED: Debate Rages On Police Reform, Role Of Police Unions In Wake Of Floyd’s Death)
Sorry guys. No-can-do. Rich white progs in park slope have grievances that must be addressed. https://t.co/I4frns82Da pic.twitter.com/ygA0PPdlxT
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) July 14, 2020
“Right now, bad guys are saying if you don’t see a blue and white you can do whatever you want,” he added.
Adams’ comments come after a weekend of gun violence that ended in the death of a 1-year-old baby. The infant was shot in the stomach Monday when three men jumped out of an SUV and opened fire on a family barbecue.
“Babies are not supposed to be wearing these in a coffin,” Adams said at a press conference after the shooting, holding up a pair of baby shoes.
The anti-crime unit’s job was to get guns off the streets of New York City, CBS reported.
“The guns keep going off and now we have a 1-year-old and the blood is on the hands of the mayor and the state Legislature,” black community activist Tony Herbert told CBS.
Former police officer and John Jay College professor Joe Giaclone decried the disbanding of the anti-crime unit.
“The gun police are no longer out there,” he said. “The criminals are opportunists. You know that.”
New York City saw 15 shootings in 15 hours Saturday, and on Sunday the shooting that killed the 1-year-old child. The city recently announced a $1 billion cut to the NYPD’s budget amidst activist cries to defund the police.