NYC Council not budging from demand for more cops
New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito during a news conference at City Hall on April 29, 2014. Credit: Charles Eckert
With time for negotiations winding down, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said Wednesday lawmakers aren't budging from demands that Mayor Bill de Blasio boost the NYPD's head count by 1,000 cops.
Next year's budget is due June 30, and de Blasio's $78.3 billion blueprint, released earlier this month, keeps the number of cops at 35,000.
"There's not much time," said Mark-Viverito, the council's leader, adding: "We're going to continue to stand strong behind the 1,000 more police officers."
De Blasio's police commissioner, William Bratton, had said for more than a year that he needs more cops. Earlier this month, he suggested he needed hundreds more just to protect the city from terrorists. De Blasio spokeswoman Amy Spitalnick said he was working with the council on the budget, pointing to the mayor's previous remarks in which he said he's "very confident . . . with the resources we have." A similar proposal pushed last year by the council to add 1,000 cops failed.
Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.
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