MOSCOW, April 24 (RIA Novosti), Lyudmila Chernova – A growing number of people are expressing frustration about the actions of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) based on images displayed on social media, civil rights experts told RIA Novosti Wednesday.
“The reports of the police brutality are getting more frequent, as it is being publicized more because of the video on the phones,” said Alex Flynn, a civil and trial lawyer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“It did not surprise me. It has clearly backfired on the police department,” the attorney added.
Flynn blames the politicians for the increasing number of cases of police abuse and brutality.
“Ninety-nine percent of all US policemen are decent and hardworking, and are being asked to enforce more and more laws more and more stringently, as well as to clear the books, the arrest record and live up to the numbers. So, they are under enormous pressure by the courts and politicians to get it done. I think it is easier to bystep and sidestep some standards and guidelines,” Flynn explained.
New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman believes people are tired of police brutality.
“New York City’s response to the NYPD’s tweet shows that New Yorkers are tired of abusive, discriminatory policing,” said Lieberman.
NYPD Deputy Chief Kim Y. Royster on the contrary said that social media offer people an opportunity to have a direct dialogue with police.
“The NYPD is creating new ways to communicate effectively with the community. Twitter provides an open forum for an uncensored exchange and this is an open dialogue good for our city,” Royster told RIA Novosti.
Earlier this week, the NYPD launched the campaign meant as a way for people to share their photos with police officers. The department promised to post some of them on its Facebook page.
Within hours, Twitter was flooded with pictures depicting police brutality.
