. @NYPDShea giving an emotional defense of the NYPD, discussing reforms of past 6.5 years, & assertively pushing back against the idea that its policing is “racist” - “could not be further from the truth,” he says.

This is really something.

Shea is covering a lot of ground here, with anger in his voice, says he won’t stand for excessive force from his officers and also won’t stand for people calling his police force racist.

Shea says no one calls NYPD racist when officers deliver food to seniors or play w kids. Yells that yes, racial disparities in social distancing enforcement but disparities in all facets of life - asks why ppl aren’t talking about racial disparities of murder victims. Wow.

New today & very much related:

De Blasio, NYPD Remain Vague About Social Distancing Protocols Amid Backlash Over Racial Disparities in Enforcement https://www.gothamgazette.com/city/9387-summonses-arrests-social-distancing-violations-nypd-de-blasio-coronavirus

Shea’s comments can in part be seen as a response to de Blasio ally @patrickgaspard’s assertion of “racist” NYPD policing; mayor called Shea’s remarks “powerful” https://twitter.com/tweetbenmax/status/1258752695374094344?s=21 https://twitter.com/tweetbenmax/status/1258752695374094344

Shea also connected criticism of the NYPD, especially calling the department racist, to violence against police officers, and cautioned people about having press conferences criticizing the NYPD.

This @JumaaneWilliams press conference is happening today >>

Hard to overstate how remarkable those @NYPDShea remarks were. And the mayor did not interject or express disagreement with any of it, instead thanking Shea for his comments.

Shea sounded a lot more like Bill Bratton than Jimmy O’Neill, tho matter of fairly small degree, I’d say.

If folks want to hear @NYPDShea in his own words, can listen here, briefing link is bookmarked to where he starts his remarks: