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NYPD Reassigning Hundreds of Plain Clothes Officers; NBA Players Divided on Restarting Season; Atlanta Mayor Holds News Conference. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired June 15, 2020 - 15:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[15:30:00]

DERMOT SHEA, NYC POLICE COMMISSIONER: -- how they're retired. Should we have them in raid jackets? Should we have them in uniform going back to last year?

Those conversations have continued. Never pulled the plug on it but it was always in the back of my mind. I think that when you have this moment in time right now it was clear to me this week, this is not without risk, let me be clear. And the risk will fall squarely on my shoulders.

I worry when I make this decision of unintended consequences. Do we recover less guns? But it's also how we recover the guns. It's what I'm asking my officers to do. And I have to protect the people that live in this city. I have to make sure that we build trust with the residents of this city. I also have to protect my cops. And I think this decision is the right decision and it's the right decision at this time, certainly.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And just to follow up. How many (INAUDIBLE) are there?

SHEA: There are roughly about --

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: All right. So the headline here from the New York Police Commissioner Dermot Shea is in the fact that really in the wake of everything we've been reporting on the couple of week and it sounds like what, you know, how policing has really moved into 21st century policing as he said. They will now be reassigning. He said there were 600 plain clothes officers known as the Anti-Crime Team, men and women in New York City streets, they'll be reassigning them, and this is significant.

He referred to it as a seismic change for NYPD. So, let me bring in retired LAPD Police Sergeant Cheryl Dorsey. And so first explain to those of us, when we hear Anti-Crime Team, right, these men and women who will now reassigned, what exactly do they do and do you think this is a good decision on behalf of NYPD?

CHERYL DORSEY, RETIRED LAPD POLICE SERGEANT: So this is a unit much like what we have here in Los Angeles within our metropolitan division. These are the officers who are sometimes in uniform or plain clothes and they don't respond to radio calls for service. They do proactive pretext stops in the hopes of finding someone who may have a gun or have drugs. I call them elephant hunters. The big game hunters. The Billy Bad A, right.

These are the ones who kick butt and take names and they jump out of cars anonymously in their plain clothes uniform and they rough people up and sometimes they get the wrong person and then they just drive off, my bad. Not even an apology, not even a business card.

And so while this is a great first step, let's not get all beside ourselves here because this is the same Dermot Shea who said when he took office that, you know, the citizens of New York are going to respect his officers.

I hear folks talking about doing everything, Brooke, except for that four-letter word, accountability. Why won't they just hold officers who misbehave accountable. Because I promise you as a patrol officer and a patrol supervisor for 20 years when officers in are in patrols see their peers sitting in a courtroom addressing murder charges, they'll conduct themselves differently.

We can't even in the midst of protests stop officers from killing folks. You have 57 officers from the ERT on the Buffalo Police Department step down. Why? Because they were offended that two of their officers were fired and charged for shoving a 75-year-old man down and cracking his head open. So, until you change that mindset, we're going to continue to have this problem. And so, thank you Mr. Shea for moving the 600 Billy Bad butts but how about we hold officers accountable when we see them commit misconduct?

BALDWIN: Cheryl Dorsey, I appreciate your opinion and telling it like you see it. I thank you very much.

DORSEY: Thank you.

BALDWIN: So that's coming out of the NYPD. Meantime, Atlanta. We are expecting another news conference. This one down south. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms will be speaking to reporters and we'll bring that for you live. Again, of course, this is on the wake of the Rayshard Brooks case. One of those police officers has been fired and the other is on administrative leave. We'll be right back.

[15:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: The NBA has plans to restart its season but not everyone's on board. The league has already announced the return of games in July with adjustments made because of coronavirus. But just given the climate over the death of George Floyd and others, a number of players are hesitant because, according to Floyd's good friend Steven Jackson, it could, quote, take all the attention off the task at hand right now.

This morning Atlanta Hawks Head Coach Lloyd Pierce joined the Georgia NAACP in a downtown march calling for racial equality and voting rights and all of this comes after dozens of players held a conference call to talk about issues surrounding the reasons resuming. Kyrie Irving, Dwight Howard and others say now is not the time to play. So, with me now former NBA player Stephen Jackson. Stephen, thank you so much for being here. And I haven't had a chance to say it so just condolences, you know, to you losing your dear friend. But talking about the NBA, you say now is not the time to resume games. Why?

STEPHEN JACKSON, FORMER NBA PLAYER: Thank you. Thank you. For the most part we've never had this moment. I've talked to several people who've been fighting for this exact moment for 50 plus years. People who's been around way before I was around. And they say they've never -- we've never had this moment. I think we need to take advantage of it. I totally, you know, the NBA is my family.

[15:40:00]

I have a lot of respect for them and I respect the way they stand. You know, I just feel like this moment is something that we have to take advantage of. We have to keep the attention on the task at hand and us as a black race, we do so much for this world. I feel that at this moment we have enough power and we should have enough say so where we could make demands, where we feel equal now and not have to wait on it.

We bring so much love and so much of everything to this world. I think we should be able to make demands for us to treated equal and not have to wait on it

BALDWIN: I hear you. There's another perspective, though. Because we know there was that conference call, that Zoom call last Friday, about 80 players, you know, talking about whether or not they should play or not. Kyrie Irving as I mentioned said to be on your side but noticeably absent from that call was LeBron James. And so he reportedly believes that the NBA can be a force for change while the games are being held and, Stephen, just, I mean, imagine all of the idols, all of the attention on these games next month if they happen.

And these players, you know, you look back through the years, they've had so many ways of expressing themselves and standing in solidarity with the movement. Wouldn't that be mighty powerful as well?

JACKSON: I mean I'm open to that. Like I have ultimate respect for LeBron. You never hear me say nothing bad about LeBron. And I know he's in this fight with me. I know it's a lot of guys that's in this fight with me that wants to play the game. But me personally, I look at it different. I play the game of basketball for love, yes, I play for the love of the game. Yes, it turned into a job and changing my life and I definitely was always appreciative of that.

But I play the game out of love and I know what means more than the game. And at this point they can do a lot of things. You're right. All of the eyeballs will be on the NBA. But the past has told me what is going to be different. Like, it will be watered down. This moment we have just came from organic pain. This moment that we have now this came from people really being hurt. The world is tired of hate outweighing love. Love is finally starting to win over hate and the world, 18 countries, 50 states all protested at one time. We've never seen this. So, everybody's tired. It's not just me because it's personal with me, everybody's tired and this moment that we never had.

So, I hope that the game can continue and we still could keep this moment but I've never seen it done in the past so there is no reason to believe that it could be done now.

BALDWIN: Let me ask you this, Stephen, because if they do end up playing the games and I was looking back just reminding myself in the wake of Eric Garner's death, remember those guys were wearing the "I can't breathe" shirts or at one point Dwyane Wade's sneakers. Which, you know, millions see these things, said "Black Lives Matter" or you can imagine some of these guys could really take a stand and kneel. Is there anything or any conversation you may have with them, what would you like to see if they go ahead and play?

JACKSON: Well, I'm just like them. I don't have the answers. But a T- shirt never got us justice. You know a T-shirt never got us justice. A T-shirt never got us to this point. You know, those people in Minnesota that were really hurting , that were really feeling pain, that were tired of seeing people get murdered by the police for the 10,15th times in so many cases I've heard of from being in Minnesota. They're tired. That was their real pain. That was real cries out for change. And the world followed suit. So, I mean nobody has the answers. I know I don't. But I know I'm standing on the side of right and love and I'm standing on that.

BALDWIN: I appreciate that. I appreciate that. I want to get to something, this is -- President Trump. President Trump as we know has been very vocal about his disdain -- is one word -- for NFL players kneeling during the national anthem in the past. But I want to play a clip for you, this is Ben Carson, his HUD Secretary, talking to a conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt about kneeling this morning. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUGH HEWITT, CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST: So, is there any chance you might persuade the President that he ought not to be upset with players kneeling during the national anthem?

BEN CARSON, U.S. HUD SECRETARY: Well, I don't think he has manifested as much animosity in that region lately. And I think we just continue to work with him. He'll get there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: It is those three words, he'll get there. This is the President of the United States, Stephen. Do you think it's too late for him to get there? I mean I'm looking at your face, I'm looking at your smile, I can -- you tell me what you're thinking right now?

JACKSON: It's funny because what does that mean? It's funny because I actually got a text from Ben Carson, somebody close him about meeting with me to meet with Trump about change. That's funny. You know, and that goes to show that it's a joke to them. You know, it should be -- it's a million people that stood on the side of saying he should kneel. But they got educated. They listen. They opened their heart and their ears to listen to why people were kneeling. Now they understand.

[15:45:00]

For him to be the President -- the President of the United States that represents us and still don't get it, that shows you how much work we got to do.

BALDWIN: What was your response to that text to meet with President Trump to maybe educate him a little bit?

JACKSON: The same text I got when I heard what Ben Carson just said. I just laughed at it. Little old me, little old me. I don't know why.

BALDWIN: Would you do it? Would you go meet with him if you had the opportunity? He is the President?

JACKSON: I'm not going to be a Kanye and be there for a photo op. I'm not doing that. I know people that he could really meet with that know what changes need to be done, that know laws and policies need to be changed. I'm not that guy. I'm not a politician. I know people who have those answers and that's the people he needs to meet with, not me.

BALDWIN: Stephen Jackson, thank you very much.

JACKSON: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Any minute we are expecting a news conference out of Atlanta after the police shooting of 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks who died. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms will be speaking. We will bring that live the second we see her behind that podium. We'll be right back.

[15:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: President Trump is now changing the date of his first in- person rally months after massive public outcry. The President announced over the weekend that he is pushing back his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from Friday to Saturday so that it will not fall on Juneteenth. That is the day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.

Tulsa is also the site one of the worst acts of violence this country has ever seen during the deadly race riot of 1921, mobs of white residents looted and burned down numerous black owned businesses and homes.

And just on top of all of this, obviously, the pandemic, the COVID pandemic is still happening, coronavirus cases are up in Oklahoma. This morning, the "Tulsa World" published an editorial entitled "This is the wrong time and Tulsa is the wrong place for the Trump rally."

So, with me John Rogers Jr., he is the Chairman and the co-CEO of the Aerial Investments -- forgive me sir, just one second, we need to go straight to Atlanta. Breaking news. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Hang tight for me, sir. Let's go to Atlanta.

MAYOR KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS, ATLANTA: -- Chief Rodney Brian and also Captain Price of the Atlanta Police Department. I want to provide a couple of updates for you.

Beginning with a string of recent deaths involving people who are experiencing homelessness in the city of Atlanta. Since June 1st, we have had shootings involving three people. And I want to provide what details we do have around those shootings.

This morning a woman was found shot to death with multiple gunshot wounds inside of a tent at Pryor Road and Rawson Streets in Southwest Atlanta. The suspect was described as a black male approximately 5'10" to 6 feet tall, 170 to 200 pounds. And I know this is a very general description. Last seen wearing a dark ball cap, a long-sleeve white T- shirt, dark jeans and carrying a drawstring type backpack.

We are also asking for the public's assistance in identifying anyone in the area on Friday morning June 12th at around 9:40 a.m. where units were called to the area of 300 Ted Turner Drive on a report of a person who had been injured there. On the scene officers discovered the body of an adult male who had suffered from at least one gunshot wound. And this was under the I-20 overpass at Windsor Street. And I'm sorry, those are two separate --

I'm going to have Captain Price clarify these locations for you because I have Ted Turner Drive and also under the I-20 overpass at Windsor Street.

Also, on Monday, June 1st at around 1:40 P.M., officers were dispatched to Baker Highland, the Baker Highland Connector Northeast at Piedmont Avenue to another person who had been shot as well.

Again, we know that the first two incidents have been linked, and we suspect that the third is also related and we are continuing to gather information. But ask for the public's help in providing any additional information that you have if there are any surveillance camera, video footage, or if you were in the area during any of these times, we ask that you provide that information. And, again, I will have Captain Price clarify the times and the locations.

We are also working with our Continuum of Care and our service providers to help ensure that we are communicating with our homeless population in the same way that we have done in other emergency events to make sure that the word is out and that they are also on high alert.

[15:55:00]

I again want to publicly express my condolences to the family of Rayshard Brooks and update you on additional actions that I am taking today on behalf of the city of Atlanta to address many of the issues that over the past few days have become abundantly clear are problematic within the city of Atlanta. As many of you all know, over a week ago, we announced the creation of

a task force, and this was in response to President Obama's challenge to cities across the country to take a proactive look at our use of force policies and to make recommendations. That task force convened for the first-time last week. And we anticipated having initial recommendations within 14 days with community input and final recommendations within 45 days.

On Friday evening, we saw the murder of Rayshard Brooks. And, as I've said before, I am often reminded of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There is a fierce urgency of now in our communities. And that fierce urgency of now says that while our advisory committee continues to work to make recommendations to help us implement and review all of our policies in the city of Atlanta, it is clear that we do not have another day, another minute, another hour to waste.

And so as we look forward to receiving the very thoughtful recommendations, and I appreciate their work, in the interim, I am signing an administrative order, a series of administrative orders today calling upon our Chief Operating Officer Joshua Williams to coordinate with the Interim Chief of Police Rodney Bryant to immediately adopt and implement reforms of the standard operating procedures and work rules of APD concerning their use of force policies.

Specifically, these reforms must comply with state law concerning the use of force. And they will include addressing APD's officers' response to resistance generally and specifically regarding the use of deadly force in accordance with the principle that officers should use only the amount of objectively reasonable force necessary to successfully protect themselves or others to effect an arrest or to bring an incident under control when dealing with members of the community, suspects, detainees, et cetera.

I'm also requiring de-escalation generally, and specifically prior to the use of deadly force in accordance with the principle that officers should use de-escalation techniques to gain voluntary compliance and avoid or minimize the use of physical force and to continuously develop, update, and train officers in de-escalation techniques.

Also requiring the reporting of all uses of deadly force by police officer to our citizens' review board, adopting and implementing a duty to intervene whereby if a police officer sees another officer using force, that which is beyond reasonable under the circumstances that they are duty bound to intercede and prevent that use of force and must immediately report the use of such force to an on-duty supervisor. And also provide lawful restrictions on when an officer may use deadly force toward a suspect who is in a moving vehicle.

We understand in Atlanta and across the nation that this is the beginning of a great deal of work that lies ahead of us. To make sure that we are doing all that we can do to protect our communities and to follow the principles that were set forth by the Obama/Biden administration on 21st century policing, It's very clear that our police officers are to be guardians and not warriors within our communities. We stand on the strong legacy of civil rights in this city and in this

country. And it's for that reason I am also signing an additional executive order that will hopefully allow us as we continue to grieve and show our frustration and anger as a nation that will create the framework that will allow us to move to action --

[16:00:00]