Bill De Blasio’s wife Chirlane McCray says New York without NYPD would be ‘nirvana’
THE wife of New York City mayor Bill de Blasio has claimed life in the Big Apple would be "nirvana" without the NYPD.
Chirlane McCray's comments emerged after lawmakers in Minneapolis pledged to dismantle their force in response to the death of George Floyd.
Speaking about police-free streets in NYC, McCray reportedly told “That would be like a nirvana, a utopia that we are nowhere close to getting to."
The writer and activist was also asked if the city had any plans to copy Minneapolis and scale back its police force.
“They’re a small city,” she replied. “They can do things that would not be possible in a large city like New York."
Democrat de Blasio has already credited his wife for his executive decision to jump on the “defund the police” bandwagon.
However, he admits it would be nearly impossible to institute reduction policies in a place the size of his city.
“Could the human race evolve to a point where no guardians, no structures are needed? I guess in theory, but I don’t see that in the future we’re going to live the next few generations,” he said.
“You’re going to have police in because it is needed for safety, but that doesn’t mean you can’t change policing.”
The couple said the NYPD must now work on improving its ties with local communities.
“It’s good policing. It’s not no policing,” McCray said.
“It’s having a different kind of culture than what we have now that is not so punitive and harsh and abusive.”
Last week, McCray said was a reminder of the fear that black families in the country endure on a daily basis.
"We fear for their lives, and we also fear for their ability to live with dignity," she said.
In the wake of protests over 's death in Minneapolis, city council members voted to disband the force.
It may now become the first major US city to shift from relying on a police force over to proven models of community safety and public health programs.
Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, on May 25 after he was arrested for allegedly trying to use a fake $20 bill to buy cigarettes.
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In the weeks since,
Supporters say it isn’t about eliminating police departments or stripping agencies of all of their money.
But rather they say it’s time for the US to address systemic problems in policing in America and spend more on what communities across the country need, like housing and education.