WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th August, 2019) The New York City Police Department (NYPD) must take more steps to prevent brutality against people of color despite the commissioner's decision to fire an officer involved in the chokehold death of an unarmed black man in 2014, a local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said on Monday.
Earlier in the day, NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill announced that officer Daniel Pantaleo had been fired over the chokehold death of Eric Garner, who was African American.
"While this [O'Neil's decision] is some measure of long-overdue relief, we have a long way to go to achieve true police accountability. The NYPD must take further steps to rebuild trust between officers and the communities they serve, put an end to police brutality against communities of color, and ensure what happened to Eric Garner will never happen again," New York City Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) Executive Director Donna Lieberman said in a statement.
Today's decision, Lieberman added, will not bring Garner back to life but it affirms that Pantaleo used excessive force on an unarmed black man and is not fit to serve as a police officer.
New York Mayor Bill De Blasio said during a press conference that the decision to fire Pantaleo is a step toward justice and accountability, adding that the process to reach the decision was fair and impartial.
However, New York police union chief Patrick Lynch said the commissioner put his self-interests over justice by firing Panataleo.
In August, a New York administrative judge recommended that Pantaleo should be fired from the NYPD. Later, media reported that the department has suspended Pantaleo.
In December 2014, mass protests were staged at New York's Grand Central Station after a grand jury had ruled not to indict Pantaleo for choking to death Garner despite video materials and media report strongly suggesting the officer's guilt.
