A state assemblyman — angry over racist comments allegedly posted online by cops about the city’s West Indian Day Parade — is calling for legislation that would require all NYPD recruits to be residents of the five boroughs.
Legislator Hakeem Jeffries of Brooklyn said at a press conference today outside police headquarters that the move would help the department “recruit members with a higher stake in police practices and greater empathy for the community.”
His proposal came after the Facebook group “No More West Indian Day Detail” posted comments allegedly made by members of the NYPD that referred to attendees of the popular parade as “savages” and “animals.”
The department’s Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating the postings.
Current law requires members of the NYPD to be residents of New York City or its surrounding counties. All must at least live in New York state.
The new bill would only apply to new recruits and would not require those already on the force to relocate.
Patrick Lynch, president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, said: “The first priority in hiring police officers should be to find individuals of the highest quality and then to pay them a salary that is competitive. About 60 percent of New York City police officers live within the five boroughs, and most have to work a second job or must have their spouse work in order to afford to live in the city they protect. Residency requirements did not work in the past, and we will oppose such a requirement for the future.”