Upon the announcement of his name, Mayor Eric Adams was met with a chorus of boos as he arrived to speak at an NYPD police academy graduation on Monday.
As the former NYPD captain took to the stage to address the 390 graduates at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, his introduction was met with a few cheers from the audience in The Bronx, mixed with some scattered applause. However, the noise gradually subsided as he initiated his speech by introducing the young daughter of one of the graduates.
Afterward, very few cops were willing to discuss it, except for a passionate graduate who excitedly patted his friend on the shoulder as he spoke to a reporter from The Post.
Excited chatter filled the air as a new officer enthusiastically egged on someone to call out another person as a “two-faced clown”. The officer quickly vanished into the crowd, leaving behind a charged atmosphere.
A few individuals admitted to hearing the booing, but were hesitant to disclose the reason behind it. They simply gave a subtle grin and mentioned that they were not authorized to discuss the matter.
As the officers entered the arena to the lively tune of Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York”, their disgruntled murmurs slowly dissipated upon the introduction of Sarah Elazab. The daughter of newly appointed cop Abdu Elazab, her presence seemed to bring a sense of unity and respect among the crowd.
As his speech about the significance of policing came to a close, the audience was left in awe, with some even applauding – including those who had previously ridiculed the mayor.
As he wrapped his arm around Sarah’s shoulders, Adams addressed the crowd and pointed out the beautiful child standing beside him, brimming with excitement at the prospect of being with her dad. “This is the epitome of what we stand for,” he conveyed.
According to him, the process of ensuring our babies’ safety is often complicated and technical. However, at its core, all parents want is for their babies to be safe. It’s as simple as that.
As he spoke to Sarah, he conveyed a sense of genuine care and affection, saying, “You mean a lot to us, and we love you deeply.” He went on to express his confidence in Sarah’s father, who he described as a member of the world-renowned NYPD. “Your dad is going to do great things,” he assured her, “and we will all be proud of him.”
City Hall’s spokesperson denied any booing by the police officers after the ceremony, despite the presence of audible boos amidst the applause in a video of the event released by the NYPD. The statement released by the city officials emphasized the clapping instead.
According to an email from City Hall spokesman Charles Lutvak, a video capturing Mayor Adams addressing the NYPD graduating class also includes footage of the crowd, which prominently features hundreds of incoming officers and their families applauding the Mayor. One touching moment captured in the video is of an incoming officer’s daughter standing alongside the Mayor.
According to the mayor, he was pleased to extend his congratulations and welcome the new officers today. He stated that their priority is to ensure the safety of the community, and that is why he referred to them as “our babies.”
New York City has a rich history of its police officers expressing their dissatisfaction with the city’s mayor. The Finest have always been vocal about their displeasure whenever they are unhappy with the mayor’s decisions.
During his tenure, former Mayor Bill de Blasio faced heckling and booing from the public on multiple occasions.
During some instances, when the individual was speaking, law enforcement officers chose to stand up and turn their backs towards him. This includes the funeral service held for Officer Rafael Ramos, who, alongside Officer Wenjian Liu, was murdered in 2014 by repeat offender Ismaaiyl Abdullah Brinsley.
Police union leaders attributed the ambush slayings, in part, to de Blasio’s alleged encouragement of an anti-police climate.
During previous negotiations with the police unions, officers had been heard jeering at former Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg.
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