I think the chief and the mayor are already on the same team. It's the rank and file who are dissatisfied. At this point, I don't really see a viable solution, but an apology from the mayor would be a place to start. If seen as heartfelt and sincere, it would sway some to his side. As is, the ball is in his court and he needs to play it.
Explain what he would apologize for exactly.
Look, I'm not laying blame on either side here. I'm just seeing a situation. Do you agree there is a problem?
The mayor has to do something. He has to do SOMETHING. He tried to persuade other politicians to support him and that blew up in his face. An apology for offending the very people who enforce the laws and rules he is sworn to uphold would be a place to start.
Carib,
Normally I am for swallow it and move on, but in this case if he apologizes he will alienate vast communities of New Yorkers which his job is to represent. The NYPD cops that turned around thought that the Mayor is the problem when they have to acknowledge that NYPD has a problem.
Most rational people saw the Garner video and were not as much horrified by his death but by the reaction to it. The result is that NYPD cops are perfectly allowed to do that on any New Yorker. They say that is wrong and the Mayor said to his son to be careful.
It was not so much the crime but the lack of understanding that anything is wrong. Personally, I believe the cops in the Garner case acted like many cops act all over the country. Yes it is against procedure, that procedure has not been enforced and then there was an accident. I think the officers involved should be sent to retraining like a lot of cops over the city. NYPD pay substantial fine, and have to review all there policies. The of NYPD policy enforcement should be fired and the person who appointed them. I am not blaming the cops, I am blaming the Department.
The problem with the Garner case is that it doesn't fit the narrative. It was fully investigated by the local police, the FBI and DOJ under the leadership of black supercop Eric Holder, a local grand jury, and they all came to the same conclusion - that there was no reason to bring charges. Either the case was a massive conspiracy and cover-up, or there was no reason to bring charges.
If you think the mayor shouldn't apologize for offending the very people who did nothing wrong, that's fine. I don't see that he has any alternative.
Chokeholds are against policy, policies were broken. Someone is dead.
So either the the individual police were rogue and should taken to task. If it is against NYPD policy then a Policeman is acting without authority. Therefore it probably be negligent homicide on the outside manslaughter.
I did give an out, I would find a defence by the officers to say this is standard practice in the NYPD as there is lack of enforcement of these policies in the NYPD. They walk free and NYPD pay a big fine.
Either way a crime was committed and anyone can see that on the tape. An officer had an arm in contact with the victims neck (NYPD definition of chokehold).
I am sorry to say that civilized society has to have the law implemented equally and fairly, and very little people believe this happen her.