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Adams tells New Yorkers to back up when recording police
Mayor Eric Adams stirred some controversy Wednesday when he said that while the public absolutely has the right to shoot video of police on their phones, there is a right way and a wrong way to do it.
NEW YORK - New York City Mayor Eric Adams stirred some controversy on Wednesday when he told New Yorkers that while the public absolutely has the right to shoot video of police on their phones, there is a right way and a wrong way to do it.
"Stop being on top of my police officers while they're carrying out their jobs," Adams said. "That is not acceptable and it won't be tolerated."
Adams made the statement while unveiling the NYPD's new Neighborhood Safety Teams, a new anti-gun unit equipped with body cameras and tasked with getting guns off the streets.
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"What is not going to happen is I'm not going to put these men and women on the front line and have someone put a phone in their face while they're taking action and try to critique their ability to do their job," Adams said.
Adams said that the public has the right to record police activity but that it needs to be done from a safe distance.
"There's a proper way to police and there is a proper way to document," Adams said. "If your iPhone can't catch that picture with you being at a safe distance, then you need to upgrade your iPhone."
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Adams did acknowledge that video recordings by the public can be extremely helpful in determining police misconduct, like in the cases of George Floyd and Eric Garner.
However, Adams said there have been too many instances of the public creating a dangerous environment.
"If an officer is on the ground wrestling with someone that has a gun, they should not have to worry about someone standing over them with a camera," Adams said.
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who sponsored a bill passed by the City Council in 2020 that protects the public's right to safely record the police without interfering, addressed Adams' comments with FOX 5 NY.
"I believe that the mayor believes that we have that right and should have that right," Williams said. "I do think as he's talking about it in the future, hopefully, it will be reworded so it's a little bit clearer."