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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Blamer-In-Chief blames Schumer for the NYC terrorist attack? *Read this*
NYPD says Trumps budget would gut New Yorks counterterrorism efforts, make the city less safe
The New York City Police Department says that President Trumps proposed budget, which includes sweeping cuts across the government, would gut critical efforts to fight terrorism in the nations largest city.
Police say the funding cuts would hit everything from intelligence analysis to active-shooter training. The blunt assessment was delivered by the top law enforcement officer in Trumps hometown, who leads an agency tasked with defending the city against terrorism and, more recently, protecting Trump Tower since it became a de facto White House north while first lady Melania Trump and her son, Barron, are living there.
Under the presidents proposal, nearly all federal funding to the NYPD would be eradicated, James P. ONeill, the New York City police commissioner, said at a briefing Thursday afternoon. This funding is absolutely critical. It is the backbone of our entire counter-terrorism apparatus.
[What Trump cut in his budget]
The Trump administration has defended its budget cuts as necessary and say they follow through on the presidents messaging throughout the campaign. But ONeills criticism appears to undercut two pillars of Trumps candidacy and the early days of his presidency, as Trump has portrayed himself as a defender of law and order and a strong protector of national security.
In ONeills telling, the presidents new budget strips out pivotal money needed to keep New York safe.
It is the cornerstone of effective preparedness and prevention against terrorist threats, and enables us to do what we can do to keep this city secure, ONeill said. Everyone who lives in, works in, and visits New York City, this moneys critical to keeping everybody safe.
He added: Simply put, we cannot afford to cut corners in fighting terrorism.
ONeill described the federal funding that would be lost as essential to numerous aspects of the NYPDs counter-terrorism activities, including the citys intelligence analyst program, active-shooter training provided to tens of thousands of officers and the departments bomb squad.
That last group was directly involved in responding to a recent terrorism threat, ONeill noted, pointing out that after a pressure-cooker explosive detonated in Manhattan last year, the bomb squad safely removed a second device that did not explode. Authorities later said that the man accused of that bombing hoped to stage a suicide attack in the city.
New York City remains one of the top terror targets in the world, and certainly the top target in the United States, he said. The federal government has long acknowledged that fact, and to cut that funding would make us increasingly less safe.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/03/16/nypd-says-trumps-budget-would-gut-new-yorks-counterterrorism-efforts-make-the-city-less-safe/?utm_term=.3ffad81afd75
By Mark Berman March 16
* So do me a favor, STFU. It's your fault!!*