Michael Bloomberg on Sunday reversed his longstanding support of the controversial “stop-and-frisk” police strategy ahead of a potential Democratic presidential run, a policy he embraced as New York’s mayor even though it disproportionately impacted people of color.
Addressing a black church in Brooklyn, Bloomberg said the practice often led to the disproportionate detaining of blacks and Latinos. He added that he “can’t change history” but now realizes “I was wrong.”
If anyone was wrongly stopped by police, “I apologize,” he said.
Bloomberg’s reversal is a notable recognition of the power and importance of black voters in the Democratic Party and the fact that his record on stop-and-frisk could be one of his biggest vulnerabilities should he launch a White House run.
The stop-and-frisk practice gave police wide authority to detain people they suspected of committing a crime. Bloomberg aggressively pursued the tactic when he first took over as mayor in 2002.
Under the program, New York City police officers made it a routine practice to stop and search multitudes of mostly black and Hispanic men to see if they were carrying weapons.
Police claimed that people were only targeted if officers had a reasonable suspicion that they were breaking the law.
“Over time I’ve come to understand something that I’ve long struggled to admit to myself. I got something important wrong. I got something important really wrong. I didn’t understand back then the full impact that stops were having on the black and Latino communities. I was totally focused on saving lives, but as we know, good intentions aren’t good enough,” Bloomberg said Sunday.
Bloomberg told the congregation that he wants to earn back the trust of black and Latino communities.
Mayor Bill de Blasio made ending stop-and-frisk a centerpiece of his first run for office.
The mayor reacted to the apology on Twitter, calling the timing “transparent and cynical.”
“With all due respect to my predecessor, we’ve spent six years undoing the damage he created with this bankrupt policy. We ended stop and frisk AND drove down crime. Actions speak louder than words,” de Blasio said.
This is LONG overdue and the timing is transparent and cynical.
With all due respect to my predecessor, we’ve spent six years undoing the damage he created with this bankrupt policy. We ended stop and frisk AND drove down crime.
Actions speak louder than words. https://t.co/DiyhLP4Irg
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) November 17, 2019
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5 Responses
Wrong. Two fakers.
Bloomie is trying to buy votes. Cheap shot. Maybe he should also apologize for the obsession he had with bikes, imposing bike lanes on neighborhoods where the residents didn’t want them. Maybe he should apologize for making traffic ticket writers equivalent to police, who could then bully anyone they wished with complete immunity. Maybe should apologize for doubling and tripling parking ticket fines for the slightest infractions. The list goes on. Cheap shot. I hope the minority communities reject his half hearted gestures.
Hizhonor has nothing to support him. Crime has not gone down. The reporting of crimes has gone down because of ineptitudes in follow through. This mayor has failed to support police adequately, and has been out of touch on the greatest issues of the city.
Stop and frisk has its place, and can be either over used or under used. Someone with a a moral foundation would seek the happy medium. Sorry, but we have two fakers here.
Wow! He must really want to be president.
For a super baal gaivah like him to apologize and in such a demining manner.
May Hashem continue to be Maspil Gay’im Aday Oretz with him
First time in his life this big shot mayor ever apologized. He doesn’t deserve a single vote.
He’ll never make it. Peewee cups & bikes aside, his voice is a combo of a teenage boy whose voice is changing and his twin sister. Give it a rest, Mikey, you’re a has-been.
Bloomi uses “Stop and Frisk” to bring down crime, then apologizes for “Stop and Frisk” while boasting that he brought down crime! What a hypocrite.