A report released Thursday said that New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio improperly used his city-funded security detail for personal and political reason. A probe by New York City’s Department of Investigation also found that Howard Redmond — New York Police Department official who ran the mayor’s security detail — actively attempted to thwart the investigation into the misuse.
The agency’s report said de Blasio used the security detail like a “concierge service,” using it to drive his son and daughter without him. de Blasio also allegedly failed to reimburse the city $300,000 for using the security detail during his travel outside the city for his 2020 presidential run. DOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett said in the report: “Protecting the mayor and his family is a serious and significant job that should be guided by best practices, formalized procedures and an understanding that security details are not personal assistants in a dignitary’s daily life but provide essential protection.”
The DOI said De Blasio faces possible ethics violations; they also plan to refer Redmond’s case to the Manhattan district attorney’s office for consideration of criminal charges. Speaking during his daily news conference Thursday, de Blasio said the report was inaccurate and unprofessional: “Look, I’m honored to be the mayor of the city, but my first responsibility was as a father and a husband. And so, I think of the safety of my family all the time. The ultimate decisions when it comes to safety must be made by security experts. The ultimate decisions on how to align security, how to protect those chosen by the people to lead need to be made by the NYPD.”
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