A New York City community came together to hold an event for NYPD’s 69th precinct following viral videos of its officers having buckets of water thrown at them.
Canarsie community’s “Kenny the Artist,” local activist Kenny Altidor, wanted to show support for the NYPD and he organized a community car wash on July 27 where officers could come and get their cars washed free of charge, according to Spectrum News.
Several adults and children showed up to wash the vehicles, making it a true success.
Thank you @AltidorKenny for bringing #Canarsie together for this wonderful event. Thank you @SenatorPersaud @GGbrazel @MoonsamCecil, Councilman Maisel, our #youth and entire #community. What a great gesture to wash our cars! We are proud and privileged to serve and protect you! pic.twitter.com/96ImQI5wDw
— NYPD 69th Precinct (@NYPD69Pct) July 27, 2019
One of the volunteers said he “hopes activities like this will help to strengthen the relationship between the community and the officers,” Brooklyn News 12 reported.
One of the children that volunteered said, “people shouldn’t be throwing water at the officers who are just doing their jobs, because it’s not respectful.”
Terrell Anderson, deputy inspector of the 69th precinct said, “Seeing them put in that position is very difficult, but at the same time, we’re not going to let a couple of incidents be a reflection of the city as a whole or these neighborhoods as a whole. We have to re-establish what’s a little bit too far. We want to engage with the community, but that doesn’t mean we need to be embarrassed or for our uniform to be disrespected.”
Anderson said he considers himself honored to to have his car washed by the same people he’s working to protect.
Cars that drove past the car wash honked their horns in a show of support.
Police Commissioner James O’Neil said, “Neighborhood policing is real. We have police officers that have relationships that have built relationships and continue to improve those relationships year after year. And that’s how you make the city safer and that’s how you make the city better.”
Viral videoes had shown several incidents of citizens throwing bucketfuls of water on NYPD officers who retreated in response. In at least one video, an empty bucket was also thrown at an officer.
The incidents took place in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Harlem, and Manhattan
Several arrests were made, including one gang member.
The New York City and Long Island police union leaders have proposed legislation that would make throwing water on cops a felony, NBC New York reported.
At a July press conference, New York Assemblyman Mike LiPetri, a Republican said, “It’s a sad day in the history of New York state when we have to legislate civility. It’s even a sadder day in the history of the greatest city in the world when a culture of disrespect against our police has been fostered.”
