New York City Police Department Sergeant John Chell, who has already been accused of political social media activity, canceled an appearance at a Republican event scheduled for Wednesday in Queens. The appearance was advertised with a poster that identified Chell by rank and featured her photo. uniform.
A poster for a Whitestone Republican Club event called “Special Event: New York City Crisis!” raised eyebrows among former NYPD officers and government ethics watchdog groups over the use of Chell’s NYPD credentials. told the Daily News there may be legal issues. In connection with a political rally.
News of the cancellation came from the New York City Bureau of Warning and Highways shortly after an article about Chell’s scheduled appearance was published on the Daily News website.
“Throughout my career, uniformed officers were prohibited from participating in political events in an official capacity without the express permission of the mayor and chief of police,” said former NYPD lieutenant and former detective. Director Werner Frey said. About the inspection.
“The rationale for this rule was to avoid situations that could lead to policy confusion and inconsistency.”
The rules Frey cited are contained in the NYPD Patrol Guide and include various restrictions on political activity.
One prohibits New York City police officers from “while on duty or in uniform endorsing or publicly expressing personal views or opinions regarding the merits of a political party or candidate for public office.” . Another provision prohibits New York City police officers from “authorizing” the use of photos of them in uniform or mentioning their rank or department for purposes of private advertising.
It is unclear whether Chell gave the Whitestone Club permission to use her photo and ranking on the poster.
The Whitestone Club, led by Republican Queens Councilwoman Vicki Palladino, one of the council’s most conservative members, had no comment Tuesday. The club tweeted a poster for the event from its X account on Monday.
Locally and nationally, Republicans are focusing on crime, especially in cities like New York, as a key issue heading into November’s presidential election. Former President Donald Trump recently took a break from his hush money trial to visit a Harlem shopping district where a worker was rescued to safety after a fatal assault on a violent customer.
“We have to fix New York,” President Trump said during the appearance. “If I go out any longer, I won’t be able to go back.”
Richard Brifau, former chairman of the city’s Conflicts of Interest Commission, said Chell should have told the club not to use his police credentials to promote the event, saying that as a senior NYPD official he was committed to public safety. He argued that he had a duty to secure it. There is no “misconception that his appearance carries any special weight or approval from the police.”
Brifau, who served as chairman of the Conflicts of Interest Committee from 2014 to 2020, said, “You can participate in political activities as an individual, but using a title or uniform is an abuse of authority.” Served as chair of the Conflicts of Interest Committee. So are ethics laws that prohibit such behavior.
Chell’s appearance comes as he and other NYPD officers, including Deputy Chief Kaz Daughtry, have become increasingly active in challenging critics on social media.
Dozens of local elected officials sent a letter to the mayor last week asking X’s followers to vote if they don’t like the left-leaning Queens City Council member, accusing Chell of recently attacking Democratic members of the City Council on the department’s social media accounts. They called for Mr. Chell to be punished. Tiffany Caban.
Asked Tuesday about the backlash against Chell and Daughtry, the mayor said he supports them.
“We are the kindest, gentlest, most loving police department on earth,” the mayor, a former New York City police lieutenant, told reporters. “Chief Chell, the Commissioner, Daughtry and others are the leaders of the police department and they decide how to protect our police officers.”
The mayor, a Democrat, did not respond to a request for comment through his office Tuesday.
In a post to X on Monday, Chell suggested he has no intention of cutting back on what he says on social media.
“Whatever complaints come in to silence us, it won’t work!” he posted. “We will tell our stories, protect our city, protect our officers, and push back against the disingenuous rhetoric of a small group of people who never want the NYPD to succeed. They are not ready to have our voices heard. I know there are some people out there, but I encourage you to get used to it.”
Carolyn Miller, the current executive director of the Conflicts of Interest Committee, declined to comment on specifics related to Chell, but said: The City’s time and resources should not be used to do so. ”
A poster for Wednesday night’s event shows a photo of a police car on fire and says it will feature statements from Joe Imperatis and an unidentified “NYPD official.” It is unclear who the other NYPD officers are.
Imperatis is a sergeant with the New York City Police Department and the founder of the police advocacy nonprofit Blue Lives Matter New York City, according to his website.
It is noteworthy that Imperatis is not identified by police rank on the poster or in his photo in uniform.
Wilbur Chapman, a 43-year law enforcement officer who served as Chell’s patrol chief from 1995 to 1998, said he had no recollection of a senior police officer giving a speech before the political club.
Chapman criticized the mayor and NYPD Commissioner Ed Caban for not reprimanding Chell after weeks of criticism over his recent political involvement.
“Cavan couldn’t shut him up or discipline him,” Chapman said. “Does this chief think he can enter the political arena and succeed? He seems to be preparing for a new career.”
This story has been updated since it was originally published.
