Several Democratic New York City Council members are sponsoring a bill introduced in September that would drastically limit what New York City police officers can post on social media.
of law“Establish rules of etiquette when posting on official social media accounts'' was proposed by City Councilor Nantasha Williams (Democratic Party), and Democratic City Councilors Gale Brewer, Lincoln Ressler, Shahana Hanif, It attracted seven co-sponsors, including Althea Stevens and Alexa Aviles. Shekhar Krishnan and Christopher Malte.
“The far left is not satisfied with tying the hands of our police officers. Now they are trying to silence them too.”
Williams' bill would require the city to “promulgate regulations establishing minimum standards of decorum that all institutions must follow when posting to official social media accounts.”
The post “does not insult, threaten, or harass the public, and does not prohibit the posting of statistical or factual information.” The bill's “minimum” standards require authorities to “attribute negative characteristics or characteristics to a particular person or group,” “use language intended to incite violence,” “use language intended to incite violence,” “use language intended to incite It declares that “use of words” cannot be posted.
Williams' law also requires the city to establish a complaint reporting mechanism for potential violations of these standards. Additionally, the city will need to begin efforts to educate the public about the new standards and its reporting system.
The bill creates exceptions for elected officials' official social media accounts and accounts associated with online aliases.
“The need for this bill has become increasingly clear, most recently highlighted by the actions of NYPD Sergeant John Chell,” Williams wrote in an email to his colleagues.
“This legislation is a proactive step to ensure that our social media platforms are used to inform and engage the public, not personal attacks or politically motivated actions.” she added.
Some NYPD officers, including Chell, have used their social media accounts to promote the anti-police agenda of left-wing politicians.
In May, Chell City Councilwoman Tiffany Caban set on fire (D) for calling the department's response to the pro-Hamas protests at Columbia University an “extreme disgrace,” a “terrible affront to free speech democracy,” and a “terrible failure of public safety.”
Chell responded to Caban's statement, calling it “garbage” and saying it “comes from someone who hates our city and certainly does not represent the great people of New York City.”
“Last night's criminal acts by unaccountable and unqualified students and the support they received from Councilor Tiffany Caban are an immeasurable disgrace,” Chell fired back at councilors. “This is a terrible affront to democracy and the proper behavior of people who are not held accountable for their actions. This was an abysmal failure of the way society expects civilized people to behave while acting like eternal victims.” .”
Following Chell's statement, the Ministry of Investigation launched an investigation. probe At the request of Council President Adrian Adams (D) and the Legal Aid Society.
“These posts often convey inaccurate or misleading information and can potentially incite threats of violence,” Adams argued. “This conduct is dangerous, unethical, and unprofessional because the department's mission includes maintaining the peace, protecting people, and alleviating fear in the reserve budget. ”
In addition to Chell's social media posts, the department came under fire for releasing the first “NYPD: Most Wanted.” video In March. The two-minute action-packed video showed police officers arresting a “real-life person facing criminal charges.”
NYPD spokesman Tariq Shepard said the department created this video and others like it to “push back against the misinformation that's out there.”
“Because if we don't, it can be damaging to the reputation of our police officers and the work that we do,” Shepherd said. Associated Press.
“The far left is not fully satisfied with tying the hands of our nation's police officers,” said City Councilman Robert Holden (D), who pushed back against Williams' bill.
“Now they're trying to shut them up too. When will this madness stop?” Holden asked.
“When the City Council starts legislating what public institutions can and cannot say, that's not governance, it's censorship,” said City Councilmember Joao Arriola (R).
“This is not just wrong, it's un-American. Forcing government agencies to simply toe the party line and follow the script or face legal retaliation is authoritarianism, plain and simple. , contrary to the provisions of our Constitution and Article I.'' The amendment means,'' Arriola added.
Last month, NYPD Interim Commissioner Thomas Donlon “One voice” policy Inside the department, officials have been warned: “There is only one voice in this department, and that is me.”
The NYPD did not respond to requests for comment from the department. new york post.
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