4 Police ‘Superior’ Unions Back Mayor’s Re-Election

The Chief-Leader/Michel Friang
ARMS OF THE LAW EMBRACE MAYOR: Mayor Bloomberg got the endorsements of, from left, Michael J. Palladino on behalf of NYPD Detectives, Lieutenants’ union leader Thomas Sullivan and Captains’ union president Roy T. Richter, who praised him for providing the leadership and resources to continue reducing crime in the city. During his endorsement of Mayor Bloomberg Sept 21, Detectives Endowment Association President Michael J. Palladino said that supporting William C. Thompson’s bid for Mayor was not even a consideration after the City Comptroller marched against his Detectives following the fatal shooting of Sean Bell outside a Queens nightclub.

“I was surprised at his actions when he marched with Rev. Al Sharpton,” Mr. Palladino said of Mr. Thompson’s stance towards the Detectives who were acquitted 18 months ago for shooting Mr. Bell after he drove his car into one of them in November 2006. “It was saying in essence, I guess the subliminal message was that the Detectives should have gone to jail. So he was not under consideration at all as far as the Detectives were concerned.”

Also Gets Lieut., Capt. Nods

Mr. Thompson had criticized the three Detectives’ acquittal by a Queens Supreme Curt Justice in April 2008, saying in a statement, “I along with many New Yorkers was shocked by last week’s disappointing court decision regarding the Sean Bell shooting.” He added that “he hoped that the Justice Department’s review of the case will be thorough and objective and finally provide justice to the Bell family and the other victims of this tragic incident.” That review is ongoing.

Mr. Bloomberg was also endorsed last week by the Lieutenants Benevolent Association and the Captain Endowment Association. The Sergeants Benevolent Association previously announced it was backing his re-election, while the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association has not yet endorsed a candidate.

“He was elected in the aftermath of 9/11 and through his leadership New York City was able to rise up out of the rubble,” Mr. Palladino said. “New York City remains the safest big city in America, thanks to the hardworking men and women of the NYPD and the strategies and initiatives employed by the Bloomberg Administration.”

CEA President Roy T. Richter called Mr. Bloomberg a “proven leader.”

“He understands that in order to police a modern city, you must be able to be innovative and adapt,” he said in giving the Mayor the union’s first endorsement in his three campaigns for City Hall. “More people are alive today because of Mayor Bloomberg’s initiatives.”

Mayor: A Grand Slam

Mayor Bloomberg quipped, “Quite a lineup: not one, not two, not three but four police union endorsements.”

“No one is better than New York City’s Finest,” the Mayor said. “They proved it after 9/11 and they are proving it once again.” He cited how experts predicted crime would rise during a recession, but the NYPD continues to post record decreases, including a 12-percent drop in the first half of this year. “This kind of success has made possible all the other successes we’ve had,” he said.

LBA President Thomas Sullivan said that lower crime levels were the prime reason for his endorsement. “Since I joined the department 29 years ago, I have never seen crime lower than now, and that’s in large part due to the support of a tough Mayor, Mike Bloomberg,” he said. “Mayor Bloomberg realizes that we need to have all the resources possible available to us in order to keep crime at these levels with tools like our new DNA lab.”

At the announcement in Foley Square, Mr. Bloomberg also unveiled four proposed initiatives to keep criminals on their heels.

Expanding Crime Center

He pledged to expand the real-time crime center to include facial recognition software and full Detective file notes to allow the instant comparison of tens of thousands of mug shots already housed in police files.

The Mayor also said he would create a footwear recognition database that contains shoe profiles to facilitate searches between shoe prints and shoe type, color, brand, unique markings, and sole images.

To help locate missing children and solve other crimes, the Mayor would work with cell phone carriers to include a law-enforcement consent form in the cell-phone plan application process that would enable police to track the whereabouts of a missing person through their phone signals.

Finally, Mr. Bloomberg proposed using GPS technology to deter gang activity in public housing to keep gang members away from other gang members or gang-affiliated locations while they are under the control of the court system.

SBA President Ed Mullins previously said, “He’s a clear choice for the people of New York and the people of law-enforcement. There is one individual who is prepared to deal with these tough economic times, Mike Bloomberg.”