NYPD Union Leader Mullins: No Effort to Cut Arrests

There is no concerted effort to pull back on arrests in New York City in the wake of the shooting deaths of two police officers and the cold relationship between the New York Police Department's unions and Mayor Bill de Blasio, according to a union leader.

"What is being left out of that equation are the daily protests that are occurring around the City of New York," Ed Mullins, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, told CNN's Michael Smerconish Saturday.

Thousands of police officers are being redirected to respond to the ongoing protests in the city, and officers are being reassigned from their daily functions.

In addition, "we've had the tragedy" of the deaths of police officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu, said Mullins.

"We are also doubling up on patrols in concern of further assassination attempts," said Mullins.

But while he admitted there is a "cold attitude" between the mayor and NYPD, it would "be illegal for the rank and file of the police officers" to jeopardize public safety by cutting back on arrests, and officers would not jeopardize public safety in such a way.

Mullins said he is not sure if the demonstrations are the whole reason there have been fewer arrests, and admitted police officers' morale is suffering after the shooting deaths of two of their own, but he's also "not sure that's the total answer."

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