NEW YORK (PIX11) -- The NYPD on Saturday released body-worn camera footage of a traffic stop involving City Councilman Yusef Salaam after the lawmaker announced he would not join a planned ride-along with the mayor and NYPD because of the encounter.
Mayor Eric Adams scheduled an evening ride along with police to convince City Council members not to override his veto of the How Many Stops Act. The mayor had asked other council members to join the ride-along, and most refused protesting his vetoing of the act.
"In light of this encounter and coupled with the lack of logistical details provided by Mayor Adams' office in advance, I will no longer be participating in tonight's scheduled ride-along with the Mayor and NYPD. It is critical that I begin to organically develop constructive relationships with all of the precincts in City Council District 9," Salaam said, in part, in a written statement.
The NYPD released a statement in response to Salaam's announcement.
"As the video shows, throughout this interaction, the officer conducted himself professionally and respectfully. He followed all proper procedures, including procedures that were put in place after Detective Russel Timoshenko was shot and killed through tinted windows in 2007. This officer should be commended for his polite, professional, and respectful conduct and for using his discretion appropriately so the councilmember could complete his official duties," the statement read, in part.
Adams' office did not immediately respond to Salaam's decision to not attend the event.
The bill would require police to record more information about stops they make.
Adams has argued that the bill would slow down police work and put officers in awkward situations of having to ask for names, contact information, and even racial data during routine patrols and emergencies.
Adams vetoed the bill last week, but the City Council has the votes to override the veto. In an interview on PIX on Politics, Justin Brannon, a member of City Council leadership, said the council will override the mayor's veto.
The vote is scheduled for Tuesday.
Salaam was elected to the City Council, representing District 9, in 2023.
Lauren Cook is a digital journalist who has covered local news in the New York City area for over a decade. She has been with PIX11 since 2020. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter.
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