Fmr NYC police commissioner Ray Kelly drags Democrat officials for crime crisis: All started with de Blasio
What used to be the safest big city in America is ‘long gone,' Kelly says
NYC crime skyrocketing started with de Blasio: Ray Kelly
Former New York City police commissioner Ray Kelly slams state and local officials for the worsening crime crisis.
What used to be the safest big city in America is ‘long gone,' and it’s all thanks to New York’s state and local Democrat leaders, former NYC police commissioner Ray Kelly argued on "Mornings with Maria."
As NYC experiences record-high crime following the death of two NYPD officers in a Harlem ambush, Kelly reminded viewers on FOX Business Monday that this "actually started" under the supervision of former Mayor Bill de Blasio.
"He defunded the police; he took lots of powers away from the police," he said. "The city council has put in unrealistic restrictions on the police, and they’ve backed off. They’re not engaged in the proactive strategies that have made New York safe."
FILE - In this May 30, 2020, file photo, police in riot gear gather during a protest in Brooklyn, New York, over the death of George Floyd. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Kelly detailed that many cities across the nation are in "big trouble" following the death of George Floyd, which has led to the great resignation of police officers. According to Kelly, New York has lost about 5,500 police officers in the last year and a half.
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"There’s a real manpower issue," he said. "Are they going to turn it around? We’ll have to see. Mayor Adams has said the right things, said he’s going to come forward with a plan… We’ll have to look at the details."
Meanwhile, Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul have both called on Washington to intervene on gun rights, blaming last week’s shooting on the "illegal gun" instead of the shooter. Kelly considered this position "standard fallback" from New York City officials, despite the recent tragedy being fueled by what he called anti-police "hatred."
New York Governor Kathy Hochul (C) attends the 9/11 Security Briefing at One Police Plaza in New York City on September 10, 2021. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
"They, understandably, are not engaging in the way [police] engaged before," he said. "You look at the demonization that goes on against the police. This shooter of these two police officers – he’s motivated purely by hate."
Kelly raised another concern regarding the misguidance of Big Tech as the shooter shared violent, anti-police posts on his Facebook page without facing censorship or repercussion.
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"Big Tech allows these things to go forward and pays attention to things that are not nearly as dangerous," he said.
In this livestream frame grab from video provided by NYPD News, Mayor Eric Adams speaks at a news conference inside a subway station after a woman was pushed to her death in front of a subway train at the Times Square station, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022
Though Mayor Adams might be ‘saying the right things’ to address concerns with crime, Kelly asserted that Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s soft-on-crime policy allowing lawlessness in the city’s subway system will not end well.
"He just can’t rewrite the law," he said. "For instance, just riding the subway in Manhattan, at least, is free. He’s declared that. Cops won’t be able to charge resisting arrest, even though people are resisting arrest. Trespassing is also no longer a violation…"
"I don’t know where this is going, but it’s not good," Kelly warned.