In yet another insult to the dedicated men and women of the New York Police Department — and one that will endanger NYC’s public school students — Mayor Bill de Blasio (shown above, beside President Donald Trump) will limit the circumstances in which police can enter New York public schools, as New York’s Daily News is reporting.
The new policy dictates police would not respond to schools for “low-level offenses” (determined by City Hall, not the police department).
Instead, the policy would route offenders to diversion programs to keep them from entering the criminal justice system.
Sound good on paper? Maybe.
Some kids deserve diversion; but many do not, especially chronic offenders.
If you’ll recall, in the aftermath of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, critics cited the shooter as having been “diverted” from the criminal justice system.
Apparently, school officials deemed the shooter’s offenses as “low level.”
I’m not saying the shooter’s diversion contributed to his murder spree. But I am saying that when a program “protects” someone from taking responsibility for his wrongdoing, the lack of effective consequences may encourage that person to repeat the offenses and increase the severity.
As I understand it, an established school district diversion program prevented the shooter from entering the criminal justice system. Still, he did not complete the diversion requirements and suffered no apparent consequences.
It seems consequences are what a lot of “at-risk” youth are missing. The worst mayor in America (and that’s saying a lot) is behind the anti-police policy. Think about these students committing “low-level” offenses and how you would feel if your son or daughter were a student in a New York City high school.
Related: Police Officers Are Human: Let’s Honor This Once and for All
So, de Blasio is not allowing the NYPD cops to enter schools to investigate “low-level” offenses such as “marijuana possession, disorderly conduct, and graffiti.”
I remember that when I was in Catholic school, just talking back could get you butt-smacked by a nun with a metal ruler. In my school, the sisters were scarier than any of my town’s cops anyway. Now, I’m not saying divinely administered corporal punishment is the answer — but what other offenses does this policy include?
“Cops are also not supposed to arrest or issue summons for alcohol consumption [in school!] [and] trespassing …”
If you’re trespassing in a high school, it means you’re not authorized to be in the school.
I don’t know about you, but if there is an unauthorized person in my kid’s school who won’t leave, I want the staff to call the cops.
But what does “low-level” mean? For example, the New York Penal Law definition of disorderly conduct includes “fighting or in violent, tumultuous, or threatening behavior …”
This seems like just another message, sent loud and clear from City Hall, to New York’s finest: We don’t trust you cops with our kids.
The Daily News also reports the city has updated the police patrol guide, established by former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, for the 5,000 school safety agents who act under the auspices of the NYPD.
The guide now limits when police officers can arrest students in class for offenses committed while away from school. These are not “low-level offenses.”
They include “felonies, sex crimes, and crimes when there’s a risk for escape.” Not sure what that last one means.
This seems like just another message, sent loud and clear from City Hall, to New York’s finest: We don’t trust you cops with our kids.
New York’s “dear leader” doesn’t like cops; that is no secret. Now, while running (or more accurately, standing still) for the Democrat presidential nomination, candidate de Blasio has once again gone to the anti-cop well.
Related: Democrats on the Debate Stage: A Lack of Confidence and Connection
The fact that his honor can’t help hatin’ on cops is one thing. But his establishing official policy that encourages the city’s young folks to fear law enforcement officers is diabolical.
By doing so, de Blasio is creating the precise negative circumstances and consequences his kind so eagerly exploits when cops must use force.
The uncooperative youths who’ve been taught by neo-leftists like de Blasio that cops are evil are then injured or killed when they refuse to follow police instructions.
Then the cycle of hate continues — and for neo-leftists, it’s a good thing on which to run for office — even the presidency.
David Kamioner is a veteran of U.S. Army Intelligence, having served with the Pershing Nuclear Brigade and the First Infantry Division. After that, he worked as a political consultant for over 15 years and ran a homeless shelter for veterans in Philadelphia for four years. Today he’s a public relations consultant in Washington, D.C. This OpsLens piece is used by permission.
Read more at OpLens:
Medal of Honor Recipients Honored in Netflix Docudrama
Andrew Gillum: Cops Who Draw Guns Have Already Gone Too Far
Politicization of Tragedy: A Go-To Tactic of the Anti-Gun Left
The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette.
Join the Discussion
COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. Thank you for contributing to a respectful and useful online dialogue.