de Blasio Press Q&A: The Police Academy Edition



Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton visited the Police Academy this afternoon, addressing police cadets and holding a press conference.  The condition of Officers Dennis Guerra and Rosa Rodriguez, gravely injured in a Coney Island fire, was a focus of both segments of their visit.

Remarks to Cadets:

Here are the remarks from the mayor and police commissioner to the class of approximately 200 police cadets:

Press Q&A:

Following a brief opening statement by the mayor, he and the police commissioner answered “on topic” questions only, although what constituted “on topic” was a bit vague.  Questions included NYPD procedures governing officers entering burning buildings, whether clergy have been called in for the two officers, what community/police “healing” Mayor de Blasio believes is occurring, whether there is a need for a larger headcount in the Department, why one of the injured officers was transferred to a different hospital, Bratton’s reaction to pictures of the accused arsonist smiling, whether a decision has been made on the future of the building that the Police Academy is currently located in, whether the escaped prisoner in the 78th Precinct has been recaptured and whether the officers involved will be disciplined and whether the Fire Department will be involved in creating a Police Department policy governing officers entering burning buildings.

Here is their full Q&A: