Mayor Eric Adams offers NYC council members opportunity to ride with NYPD after controversial vetoes
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Just days after vetoing two controversial bills, one tied to jails and the other to policing, New York City Mayor Eric Adams attempted to win over councilmembers by extending an invitation for city leaders to ride along with NYPD officers.
"This is the moment when we must be on the ground and see the realization of any form of legislation that is coming out of our city government," said Adams during Sunday's press conference.
One piece of legislation requires more transparency when police interact with the public, including collecting data such as names, ages and other information. The mayor insists for the most part, he's on the same page with the New York City Council, except when it comes to what's called level-one interactions, like when a person is missing.
"Give us an exception to the mere stopping of someone for an objective, credible reason. Those are minor interactions with the public," Adams said.
The second bill centers around correctional facilities and the number of hours inmates are kept in what the city calls restricting housing, rather than solitary confinement.
At the conference, Sara Walter urged lawmakers to consider the lives of people like her husband, who is a correction officer.
"He's been assaulted twice and the City Council really just needs to do the right thing," Walter said.
Adams says he's already talking with council members about changing their votes.
In opposition to Adams, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams called the rare Sunday event at City Hall "a grotesque example of the mayor hiding behind the pain and fears of people he misinforms and manipulates."
The City Council currently has enough votes to overwhelmingly override the mayor's vetoes.
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