Mayor de Blasio on Tuesday defended his edict that cops not bust people over small amounts of marijuana — a week after NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton blamed the drug for a spike in homicides.
Hizzoner insisted there was no relationship between the killings, including those of at least seven drug dealers, and last year’s change in the NYPD’s handling of low-level pot cases.
De Blasio also maintained that he and Bratton — who opposes legalization of marijuana — were “on the same page” when it came to the policy that went into effect in November.
“Commissioner Bratton and I worked very closely together to develop the new policy, which de-emphasizes arrest for minor possession of marijuana,” de Blasio told reporters in Brooklyn.
“As you know, arrests are down on a monthly basis approximately 55 percent. We think that’s a very good policy — we did that together and believe in it with equal energy.”
De Blasio did acknowledge that, “there’s a lot of violent crime related to marijuana that we are addressing every single day, and I agree with [Bratton] on the other questions of legislation related to marijuana, so I think we’re very much on the same page.”
Last week, Bratton said pot — which he called a “seemingly innocent drug that’s being legalized around the country” — had played a role in driving up the number of city homicides to 54 as of March 1.
There were 45 killings during the same time period last year.
“In this city, people are killing each other over marijuana,” Bratton said.
Patrick Lynch, the head of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, called the pot policy “a dangerous half-measure that sends mixed signals and underscores the city’s need to put more police officers on the streets.”
“From the point of view of us in law enforcement, any relaxation of enforcement against any kind of drug results in increased sales opportunities for dangerous drug dealers who freely
use violence against their competitors,” Lynch said.
“The end result is more dangerous streets for everyone.”
An NYPD spokesman said Bratton’s comments weren’t meant to apply to people who are covered by the new pot policy.
“The violence isn’t associated with people possessing marijuana in low levels,” Deputy Commissioner Stephen Davis said.
“The violence is associated with people involved in the commerce, the trade of marijuana.”
Davis also said he didn’t believe reversing the pot policy “would affect the shootings and violence.”
“The policy isn’t responsible. If you sell marijuana, you’re still going to be arrested,” he said.