James Blake To Meet With NYC Mayor And Police Commissioner

Blake is scheduled to meet with New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton to discuss the incident, reports CBS New York on September 21. Blake requested Monday’s meeting.

Content Preview This content is exclusive for Optimum, Time Warner, Comcast, customers with access to News 12. “The Mayor was very clear that the meeting was not just for making short-term changes”. We’re not looking for a quick lawsuit, we’re not looking for anything that’s going to be a quick and easy solution. But, he added: “I try to turn a negative into a positive”.

Police said members of a financial crimes task force were at the hotel investigating $18,000 in fraudulent credit card purchases from an online shopping delivery service. Blake later said the officer did not explain his actions until after the scuffle.

Before the meeting, de Blasio told reporters he wanted Blake to understand “how much we are making fundamental reform in relation to police and community”, and trying to reduce “any unnecessary use of force”. The officer has been placed on desk duty.

Asked whether Blake still believes Frascatore should be fired, his attorney, Kevin Marino answered, “We don’t have any disrespect for the officer’s due process rights”.

While noting “the video…is pretty compelling evidence by itself”, Blake acknowledged that his celebrity has played a role in his treatment since the incident. But I don’t know if I would have had the same voice.

“We don’t want to see this kind of thing happen. The vast majority of our police officers are well-prepared to calmly and appropriately handle arrests, and do so every day, but there are obviously those who need additional support”. Blake didn’t offer details, nor did city officials.

Mr. Blake said he still thinks often about the mistaken arrest-but reiterated his hope to work “shoulder-to-shoulder” with Mr.de Blasio and Mr. Bratton going forward.