TAKING IT BACK

Cuomo Privately Apologized for Upsetting NYPD Officers With Criticism, Says Chief

New York governor retracts his condemnation of how NYPD officers handled Monday night’s unrest.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has privately apologized to NYPD chiefs after criticizing how officers handled the unrest that took place in the wake of the George Floyd protests. On Tuesday, a day after widespread looting in the city, Cuomo fumed: “The NYPD and the mayor did not do their job last night. I believe that... The police in New York City were not effective in doing their job last night. Period.” NYPD Chief Terence Monahan told the Today show Wednesday morning that the governor was in touch to say sorry for upsetting the officers. “Last night his office called and apologized to me, and I know he called the commissioner directly to apologize,” said Monahan. “That’s not what he meant—he did not mean to put down the police officers.” Monahan also urged people not to attack his officers because of Floyd’s death, saying: “We don’t need to be targeted throughout this country because of the actions of someone in Minnesota.”