(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) Several weeks after New York City Mayor Eric Adams rebuked city police for talking to each other while on the job, the department released a memo ordering the police to restrain from such conversation.
“Do not congregate, or engage in unnecessary conversation, with other members of the service while on post, absent police necessity,” the memo said, correcting police officers.
A later section suggested that officers may not engage in any informal conversation while on the job, the New York Post reported.
The mayor was caught last month on video insisting that police officers “should not all be congregating together.” Adams then approached the cops in order to offer his correction.
“How about scattering out, so we ensure safety and deploy personnel?” Adams could be heard saying. “We have not been deploying our personnel correctly.”
According to Police Benevolent Association president Patrick Lynch, Adams’ order wasn’t needed because New York City cops are already quitting in droves.
“The order is unnecessary,” he said. “Pretty soon there won’t be enough cops left to congregate anywhere in the city, because these miserable working conditions and the low pay are forcing them to quit in droves.”
The passive-aggressive memo did not sit well with veteran cops. A long-time Manhattan police officer bashed Adams’ assessment of the NYPD.
“Worry about crime in the city and stop worrying about cops congregating,” the cop said.
“Worry about your transit system and how it’s out of control. Worry about your shootings. Officers can’t even walk around their own neighborhood without getting their a** kicked.”
John Jay College of Criminal Justice professor and a former NYPD sergeant Joseph Giacalone said the memo is a sign of the disarray at the NYPD.
“They don’t have enough people,” he said. “You can’t cover all these events and move cops to hot spots. After a while, you say to yourself, “Who’s left?”
