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February 10, 2004
For Immediate Release
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Contact: Albert O'Leary
212-298-9190
or Joseph Mancini
212-298-9150
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NO CONFIDENCE VOTE — PC SHOULD RESIGN
A no-confidence vote by 400 PBA delegates demonstrated that police commissioner
Raymond Kelly no longer has the confidence and support of New York City’s
23,000 police officers as PBA president Patrick J. Lynch called for Kelly’s
resignation. The no-confidence vote was precipitated by the commissioner’s
premature judgment of a recent shooting, the continuation of a draconian disciplinary
system and his systemic, behind the scenes effort to prevent NYC police officers
from obtaining better jobs in other jurisdictions.
“Our vote today clearly demonstrates that Ray Kelly no longer enjoys
the support and confidence of 23,000 of New York’s finest,” Lynch
said. “This commissioner does not afford the benefit of a doubt to the very
police officers who risk their lives to make this city safe. He continues to support
a disciplinary system that in some cases punishes police officers twice for the
same offense and denies the accused officer the right of due process. And this
commissioner’s answer to a horrendous recruiting and retention problem is
to cajole other major municipal police departments not to hire from within the
ranks of the NYPD.
“The message that commissioner Kelly has sent to New York City police
officers is; do your job and risk your life but you are on your own; you will
be punished unfairly and we will prevent you from taking a better opportunity.
You cannot lead without the support and confidence of the rank and file, Kelly
should resign.” Lynch concluded.
Kelly is accused by the PBA of jumping to conclusions in the tragic shooting
of an unarmed 19-year old. The PBA also sites a disciplinary system that denies
due process to officers and contends that commissioner Kelly used undue influence
to curtail the hiring of New York City police officers by both the Port Authority
Police and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police departments both of
which offer far better compensation packages than the NYPD.
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