There is no such thing as off duty for New York City police, since unions are now suggesting officers arm themselves 24 hours a day while protests continue over policing policies, former NYPD detective Wally Zeins told Newsmax TV's "America's Forum."
"There is no off duty, and now cops are even more vigilant than ever," Zeins said Friday.
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"The union president came out with a letter . . . the letter said to all of us, wear your vest both off patrol and within the precinct, carry your firearms at all times on duty and off duty, carry additional magazines and a second weapon, stay in pairs, and be vigilant to people around you. The main concern is you want, at any cost whatsoever, your only assignment is to go home safe."
Several people have been arrested for allegedly making threats against police after the shooting deaths of two NYPD officers Saturday. Protesters continued to demonstrate against excessive police tactics even after New York Mayor Bill de Blasio called for a halt to demonstrations while the families of the slain officers prepared for their funerals.
The NYPD will have "an extra amount of personnel" for festivities on New Year's Eve, as well as undertake other precautions "that I'm not going to talk about," Zeins said, adding that the volatility caused by the protests also creates a "terrorist's dream if they wanted to take some action towards us."
"Terrorists are looking at this and saying, 'Is there any easy way to go around so that we can make a terrorist attack?'" he said.
Zeins said civil rights activist Al Sharpton is "probably the worst instigator in the history of the NYPD," and his voice in support of the demonstrations has been like "putting salt on a wound."
"This man has his own agenda. He's only out for himself. He only survives on other people's sorrows and tragedy. It's just a terrible, terrible thing. And de Blasio, the mayor, brought him in as one of his top people to help in advising in relationships with community affairs. It's outrageous," he said.