Two politically charged New York City bills to rein in the NYPD’s use of controversial stop-and-frisk tactics were vetoed Tuesday by Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
He slammed both bills — one to create an NYPD inspector general and another to allow people to sue over racial profiling by cops — as a boon to criminals and terrorists.
The “dangerous and irresponsible” measures “would make New Yorkers less safe,” he wrote in his veto message.
The bills appear to have enough support in the City Council to override the mayor’s vetoes, but Bloomberg has mounted a blitz to block the racial-profiling bill, which passed with 34 votes — exactly the number needed to override a veto.
He needs to convince one Council member to switch sides, but so far has had no luck.
The bill to create an inspector general passed by a larger margin, making an override nearly certain. Supporters of the bills blasted the veto.
“It’s pretty simple: Either you believe people should be treated differently simply because of their race, religion, sexual orientation or immigration status, or you find that repulsive and believe it should be outlawed,” the group Communities United for Police Reform said in a statement.