Bronx Residents Respond to Weiner's Proposal for Police Reform

by Stephanie Colombini | 08/16/2013 | 4:36pm

Bronx Residents Respond to Weiner's Proposal for Police Reform

Anthony Weiner discussed his proposal to require NYPD officers to wear cameras this morning at Soundview Park.

New York City mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner wants NYPD officers to wear cameras.

He discussed his plans for a pilot program that would require beat cops to wear body cameras this morning at Soundview Park in the Bronx.  The 43rd precinct's all-too-familiar with the Stop and Frisk controversy - a 2011 report says it had the borough's second-highest number of stops.  Weiner's proposal for the program, which would be implemented first in precincts with high numbers of stops like the 43rd, left community members with mixed feelings.

Shawn Robinson says he's been stopped twice by the NYPD, and claims both times he was doing nothing wrong.  He's skeptical about how effective the cameras will be for improving community relations.

"It changes the behavior of the cops, and even though that's what we would like, we know that it's not real.  So what happens when you catch me again, and you don't have a camera on?"

As a father of sons who have been mugged at gunpoint near their home, Eddy Martinez says the more cameras on the streets the better, regardless of the reason.

"It will help the community, yes, yes...It's a war zone; it's a war out here."

Anthony Weiner says the cameras would help identify unnecessary stops, as well as help protect cops from false accusations.  He says they could be informative tools on the streets, at trials, and during training.

 

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