Joe Cardinale reacts to gun violence surge in New York
Some New York protesters call for more policing amid rise in gun violence; Retired NYPD Lt. Joe Cardinale weighs in on ‘America’s Newsroom.’
Some New York City protesters are now calling for more policing amid a surge in gun violence because of the “policies that are set forward" by the mayor, retired NYPD Lt. Joe Cardinale told Fox News on Wednesday.
“The bail reform and everything else that goes along with it that was passed in the middle of the night without people really knowing what was going on until it was shoved in your face and now the criminals know that it is a revolving door for them. They can do their crime and go back out,” Cardinale told “America’s Newsroom.”
Cardinale said that the lack of police and anti-street crime units on the streets is only making the situation worse.
“The guns are on the street, you didn’t have anybody challenging them other than the uniform,” Cardinale said.
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Cardinale's comments came after at least 17 people were shot in New York City on Monday — a tally that would be considered high for a weekend day, but is “astronomical” for early in the week, law enforcement sources said.
No borough was spared from the gunplay, but Brooklyn saw the most violence with 10 shooting incidents and a total of 12 victims, sources said.
“Those numbers would be high for a Friday or Saturday, but for a Monday they are astronomical,” said one high-ranking Brooklyn cop.
Cardinale said that the blame for the uptick in violence in New York City is on "empty suit" Mayor Bill de Blasio. He said the city is in "dire straits."
Cardinale said de Blasio is pushing for a new law that would further hinder police on the force.
“A cop can’t put his hands on somebody and make an arrest without violating somebody and then their career is on the line, their house is on the line and this is what is happening,” de Blasio said.
"The protesters now are saying enough. Take the handcuffs off the police, let them get back to doing their job they are trained to do, get rid of the few bad apples that are in there and let’s move on and bring this city back together.”
A majority of New York state voters don't support reducing funding for police departments, even as they agree the recent killings of George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks are part of a "pattern of excessive police violence toward Black people," a poll released Tuesday shows.
Floyd, a Black Minneapolis man, was killed while in police custody on May 25. Brooks, who is also Black, was fatally shot by Atlanta police officers on June 12. The killings have spurred nationwide protests over police brutality and racism.
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The poll found 57% of the 806 voters surveyed opposed reducing funding for police departments, and 60% said in response to a separate question that they opposed defunding police. Opposition to reducing funding for police was higher in upstate areas and the suburbs of New York City; 51% of respondents from New York City said they supported reducing police funding.
The Wall Street Journal contributed to this report.