New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has "created a climate of mistrust" between the NYPD and the city's residents, former New York Gov. George Pataki told Newsmax TV Tuesday, and it's up to the mayor to apologize to the Police Department and "heal the wounds."
Protests that include chants calling for "dead cops" should be stopped, for a start, Pataki said to host John Bachman on
Newsmax TV's "America's Forum." "What the mayor should do is enforce the law, and if they engage in violence ... arrest and prosecute them."
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On Monday, both
de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton spoke out about the aftermath following the executions of on-duty NYPD officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos as they sat in their patrol car in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn.
De Blasio called for a halt of political statements until the after slain officers' funerals, making an appeal to both sides in a roiling dispute centered on the deaths of black men at the hands of white police officers.
"There's a reason there are laws on the books in this city and the mayor is the one who has to make sure they're enforced and sadly that was not the case prior to this horrible event," Pataki told Newsmax Tuesday.
De Blasio has created a situation that has "tragically" stirred up animosity against the police among the city's minority communities, said Pataki, calling for the situation to come to an end.
"It was under, not just Mayor [Rudy] Giuliani, but Mayor [Michael] Bloomberg and Commissioner [Ray] Kelly where the Police Department did such an incredible job taking New York City from the most dangerous city in America to the safest large city in the country, saving thousands of lives," said Pataki. "There's no better trained, more professional force."
However, a few years ago, for political reasons, there were people beginning to "demonize" the Police Department, "which by the way, is a majority minority police force" and the rhetoric led to the police officers' deaths this past weekend, said Pataki.
De Blasio campaigned on a police reform ticket, and during the Democratic primary, candidates were angling for the support of the Rev. Al Sharpton, the longtime civil-rights activist doubles as an MSNBC host, Pataki continued.
"The more anti-police you could be, the more saying you were going to fire Commissioner Ray Kelly — who did a spectacular job in increasing minorities in the police force and in reducing crime — the better your chances were of getting Sharpton's support and winning that primary," said Pataki.
It wasn't just de Blasio at fault, though, the ex-governor continued, pointing out that Attorney General Eric Holder weighed in and claimed the NYPD was engaged in illegal activities and filed a lawsuit demanding a federal monitor be put in place.
"This is the best police force in America, the most respected police force in America, the most successful police force in America, and he doesn't want to monitor an investigation into why in Chicago, so many dozens and dozens of minority kids and young people are being killed every weekend," said Pataki, "but he does in New York where the police have done such an outstanding job."
He said he hopes the people of New York rally behind the NYPD, but for that to happen, de Blasio will have to apologize.
Bratton is well-respected among law enforcement officials and the public, said Pataki, but de Blasio needs to be the one to heal the wounds.
"He met with the demonstration leaders but would not meet with the police leaders," said Pataki.
"He should meet with the police leaders and he should apologize. Apologize for not having their back when this crisis began and apologize for having helped create this climate where the best Police Department, best trained in America is demonized as being an occupying force."
Meanwhile, the NYPD is "incredibly professional" and will do their jobs well, whether or not they like the mayor, Pataki said.
"For all this horrible tragedy, this is still the safest large city in America. This is still one of the safest states in America and it's going to continue to be that way because we do have that police force."
President Barack Obama and Holder should also say they respect the NYPD, and understand that more than 100 are killed every year while in the line of duty, he added.
Bratton spoke this week about how all New York City mayors have had their disagreements with the police, but Pataki said this time the animosity is different.
"Almost every time it was over contracts. Am I going to get a raise? Are we going to get different work rules? Things of that nature," Pataki said in a separate interview on "The Steve Malzberg Show," also on
Newsmax TV.
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"This is totally different. This is about whether or not the police professionals respect the mayor of this city and that is why it's a very serious matter.
"Of course, any time two police officers are killed in the line of duty, particularly this horrible assassination, it is a very difficult time, but it's compounded by the fact that this mayor has not had the police officers' back."
Pataki also cut some slack to Patrolman's Benevolent Association president Pat Lynch.
The police union leader is under fire for blaming de Blasio for the officers' deaths, stating, "That blood on the hands starts at the steps of City Hall, in the office of the mayor. After the funerals, those responsible will be called on the carpet and held accountable."
"It's an emotional time. Lynch got caught up in the emotion and I can understand that," Pataki told Malzberg.
"He's the leader of the police union, he has sons who are police officers, and we've both seen too many police officers dying in the line of duty in this city, so he reacted emotionally.
"Whether or not, in retrospect, he would say it again, let's move forward. There's nobody who hasn't said something during this time of high emotion that perhaps they wouldn't want to walk back."
Pataki brushed aside suggestions that the anger of the police is connected in any way to ongoing contract negotiations with the city.
"That is just completely wrong. This is not about a contract. As we were talking earlier, there isn't a Police Department that, over a period of years, hasn't had a difficult contract negotiation. This is totally different and this is far more serious," Pataki said.
"This requires everybody just sitting down, understanding we're all in this together and we have to move forward together. I know the police will do that, they're the finest force in America, I just hope the political leadership does it as well."
Looking ahead, Bachman asked Pataki, who was in office from 1995 to 2007, if he has plans for the 2016 elections.
Pataki said he does not want to talk about politics at this time, "but I very much believe in limited government and that's what I tried to do as governor."
The United States has "gone far further with government intrusion than certainly in my lifetime and perhaps in this country's history, but this is still America," he said. "Despite the failings of the government, this is still America and the people will take back this country."
To Malzberg's inquiry about Pataki's political future, the former governor added:
"I do believe we need to change the direction of this country. There will be time for that.
"At this time, we just have to give a prayer of thanks to those who have lost their lives and look forward in the hopes that we all come together and have a tremendous 2015."
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