By Bill Parry
Nearly 400 police supporters rallied for unity in front of Borough Hall Tuesday, the first of several such events planned citywide during the coming weeks.
Organizer Joe Concannon, a former NYPD captain and 25-year veteran of the force, organized the gathering to send a clear message to the city’s elected officials in the wake of the rift that has developed between the mayor and the rank-and-file.
Concannon and other speakers charged city officials with failing to support the NYPD in the weeks since a Staten Island grand jury decided not to indict an officer in the death of Eric Garner. The divide grew wider following the assassinations of Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu in Brooklyn with Police Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch saying Bill de Blasio had “blood on his hands” and officers twice turning their backs to the mayor during their colleagues’ funerals.
“We’ve heard a lot of dangerous dialogue, some of which has led to division and violence rather than unity and respect,” Concannon said. “But our voices will be heard.”
The Bellerose resident emphasized that his unity rally would be nonpartisan, and for the most part it was.
“We support our local police, we trust our local police and we are so ever thankful to our police officers who take care of our safety every day of the week,” Concannon said. Civic groups, veterans, Americans for a Safe Israel, Promise Keepers and Tea Party members cheered nearly a dozen speakers during the hourlong rally in freezing temperatures.
Michael Paladino of the Detective’s Endowment Association, the sole police union leader at the rally, thanked the crowd for its support. Janet Maderik, who has been married to a cop for 27 years called police officers the “guardians of our city.”
Sheriff Chris Moss, president of the New York State Sheriffs Association, came to Queens from Chemung County, outside of Elmira.
“We want you to know you have our full support and we thank you for the tremendous job you do every day,” Moss said. “You should be proud to be considered the crown jewel amongst law enforcement agencies.”
Concannon stressed that support for the NYPD is crucial after the Jan 7 terorrist attacks in Paris.
“Public safety is the cornerstone of our society, whether you live on Main Street, USA, or somewhere in Paris, France.” he said. “The vivid images this week have made us all see the valor, the courage, the bravery and professionalism of law enforcement all over the world. They will hear us from Queens County, New York City, to Paris France. Support your local police!”
Several speakers went off-message causing Concannon to bristle at the mention of Mayor de Blasio and Rev. Al Sharpton on several occasions. Jeffrey Wiesenfeld, a former official from former Gov. George Pataki’s administration, said the mayor’s leadership was “shameful.”
“All matter of hooligans have been allowed to bring chaos and violence to the streets of our city unimpeded,” Wisenfeld said.
City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park), the only elected official in attendence, said, “When the Mayor of the city of New York is meeting with the protesters, and the mayor of the city of New York is letting the professional police critics and the editorial boards dictate the policies of how the police department is run, that is not right and that is why we have to stand here and let the whole city know the cops are the good guys and not the bad guys.”
Moss, an African American, said “Police chiefs and county sheriffs want nothing more than to have open discussions over how to improve relations with the communities we we protect and serve, but if we truly want meaningful discussions with meaningful results, individuals like Al Sharpton have no seat at the table.”
The cheers that followed were some of the loudest of the day and when the rally was over, Concannon was adament in saying, “This is not about the mayor, this is not about Al Sharpton, who is a professional agitator. This is about public safety and the professionalism of the police department.”
In Queens Village a bit later in the day, a shouting match erupted during a PBA delegates meeting at Artun’s catering hall. Union President Pat Lynch was shouted down by a number of members, according to a source.
The argument grew out of Lynch’s demand for an apology from de Blasio for his lack of support. Insurgents demanded more safety, better equipment and more manpower.
Lynch blamed “selfish agitators with a personal agenda” in a statement. “They were simply attempting to use legitimate complaints about City Hall to try and repair their own weakened and damaged credibility,” he said.
NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton, addressed the screaming match, during an appearance on NY1.
“The PBA has always been a contentious group,” Bratton said. “Pat Lynch is running for re-election. He has opposition so the idea that there would be a split is understandable. even in normal times, and what we’re dealing with right now could not be construed under any circumstances as normal times.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.
