(17 Jun 2020) One of New York City's top law enforcement officials says he thinks something should be done to address the concerns of protesters who have rallied against police in recent weeks.
Assistant Chief Jeff Maddrey made headlines after he took a knee at the demand of thousands of protesters in Brooklyn during a rally on May 31st.
"The reason I took a knee was to start bringing about peace and unity and healing between members of the police department and members of the community," he said.
Maddrey, a Brooklyn native who is black, is in charge of the NYPD's Brooklyn North division — an area that has seen widespread unrest in the weeks since video was released showing a Minneapolis police officer killing George Floyd.
He says he sees the unrest as a result of generations of inequality and tensions with law enforcement.
Maddrey said he thinks the NYPD should use this as an opportunity to make efforts to improve relations with the black community, saying the department should meet with community leaders.
"I think we just need to increase our positive contacts where, you know, young men, young black men, people of, you know, of all communities to feel safe with their police department," he said.
He stopped short, however of suggesting specific changes in police training and policy.
"There are things a lot of things that the police department can push over to other agencies and should push over to other agencies. And if they take away certain responsibilities that we don't have to do anymore and they're going to fund another agency to do that, then me, personally, I'm not against it," he said.
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