(19 Aug 2019) After five years of investigations and protests, a New York City police officer has been fired for the chokehold death of an unarmed black man.
The city's police commissioner fired Officer Daniel Pantaleo Monday based on a recent recommendation of a department disciplinary judge.
The decision was welcomed by activists and Garner's family, but immediately condemned by the head of the city's largest police union, who declared that it would undermine morale and cause officers to hesitate to use force under any circumstances, for fear they could be fired.
"The job is dead!" Patrolman's Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said at a news conference, standing in front of a police department flag that had been hung upside down.
His voice cracking with anger, Lynch called Pantaleo an "exemplary" officer and called for union members to participate in a no-confidence vote on the mayor and commissioner.
"It's absolutely essential that the world know that the New York City Police Department is rudderless and frozen," he said.
"The leadership has abandoned ship and left our police officers on the street alone, without backing."
Pantaleo's lawyer, Stuart London, said he would try to get the officer reinstated.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/e30d4515067c0501fd6c3b79295b3e76