Silence from New Rochelle’s Elected Leaders on False Narrative from PBA on Police Brutality Video

On March 9, 2021, less than a month after the New Rochelle Police Department suspended Detective Michael Vaccaro without pay for 30 days — an extreme and rare level of command discipline — Mayor Noam Bramson went before City Council for ten minutes to deliver a 2,000 word speech which he risibly described as a discussion.

It was a self-indulgent monologue drafted in the lonely confines of his office at City Hall.

Bramson said he shared his statement in advance with the City Council and City Manager, the majority of whom have offered their support and solidarity. The Mayor said he was speaking not just for himself but the City’s broader leadership; by which he meant City Manager Charles B. Strome, Council Members Martha Lopez, Albert Tarantino, Yadira Ramos-Herbert, Ivar Hyden, Sara Kaye, Elizabeth Fried and, presumably, NRPD Command led by outgoing Police Commissioner Joe Schaller.

Bramson’s topic was the “unfinished work of achieving racial justice” and “the role of race here in our own community”. He promised “uncomfortable” words.

His main purpose was to apologize on behalf of the City government for past racism as well as ongoing systemic racism and propose a path forward through meaningful, significant steps oriented toward healing and equity and setting aside complacency.

“This brilliant country,” Bramson began, “has never fully come to grips with its legacy of racial oppression.”

Bramson talked about “stark and persistent racial inequalities” and “shaping a more humane and effective system of law enforcement and criminal justice” and widespread “denial and ignorance” of how racism impacts “the daily experience and life prospects” of thousands of New Rochelle residents.

He said segregation is woven into the fabric of New Rochelle — that residents are still living in a house built by slavery, Jim Crow, and redlining. He said it impacts how New Rochelle residents “view a police officer”.

Bold if not sanctimonious words.

But Bramson also said it was “fair to judge New Rochelle by how we work together to address the portions of this challenge that fall within our influence, and by whether we seize opportunities to encourage awareness, reconciliation, and progress, based on collaboration and partnership.”

As one of two public figures in New Rochelle who had condemned NRPD Detective Michael Vaccaro and challenged the PBA’s false narrative about the events of February 15, 2021 (the other being NAACP New Rochelle Branch President Minister Mark McLean), I take issue with the contradiction between Mayor Bramson’s lofty rhetoric and the cowardly failure to address the public airing of video of a white NRPD detective punching and kicking a black man then doing his best Derek Chauvin impersonation by grinding the man’s face into the ground AND the false narrative put forward by the New Rochelle PBA, and their coordination to push that false narrative with PBAs and police associations throughout Westchester County AND their attack on the rule of law in their response to the decision of the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office to file criminal charges against Michael Vaccaro.

I requested a copy of their statement on these matters, but received none. I told them a few minutes after 9 a.m, if they find their statement and send it to me, I will update this article.

It is past the time for New Rochelle’s elected officials to condemn the behavior of Chris Greco; to defend Mimi Rocah; and to address the shocking video of Michael Vaccaro beating and kicking Malik Fogg — an emotionally disturbed black man — then grinding his face into the pavement while officers handcuffed Fogg and pressed a taser to his neck.

At this moment the actions of Michael Vaccaro, Chris Greco and others represent precisely the sort of opportunity Bramson was talking about when he said he and others must “seize opportunities to encourage awareness, reconciliation, and progress”.

Talk is cheap.

The Mayor and his Council colleagues and City leadership have been silent.

As Bramson as stood idly by, saying nothing despite all his “brave” talk about uncomfortable words just three months ago, Chris Greco has seized the megaphone from his hands to broadcast a message of what many perceive as racist hate speech — that an emotionally disturbed black man deserved the pummeling he received at the hands of Vaccaro, a sniveling coward, nothing more than a common street thug and documented liar operating under the color of being a police officer who whimpers until reinforcements arrive and them pounds away at a restrained suspect like he is beating a dog.

Documenting the Many Lies of New Rochelle Police Detectives Michael Vaccaro, Chris Greco and Others

As he believes it is fair to judge his leadership on and how he and other City leaders work together to shape a more humane and effective system of law enforcement and criminal justice, let the community bear witness to the cowardly failure to speak and act when it matters not in the hothouse of a Committee of the Whole meeting when few residents are watching.

Words matter, Mr. Mayor, and your silence speaks volumes as to your level of commitment to your words of March 9 — none.

While you and your colleagues deserve opprobrium, your employees do not.

Almost all members of the New Rochelle Police Department are courteous and professional; men and women who take seriously their responsibility to protect and serve, not bash and punish.

That professionalism was on display in the cell phone video, too — by every officer on scene except Vaccaro.

That is the image you have allowed, by your silence, to take hold where Greco and Vaccaro are the models for policing on your watch not PO Wallach and especially PO Velasco who both performed admirably as did others.

For God’s sake — say something now, when it matters. Make a speech, hold a press conference, issue a statement, give media interviews, tweet something.

You wanted the limelight? Now’s the time to step into it and translate your so-far hollow rhetoric into meaningful action.

If you cannot find the right words to address the most significant police brutality case in your two decades on City Council, then resign and let someone else lead.

This Facebook exchange commenting on the cell phone video of police brutality says it better than we ever could:

“My new Rochelle black men please and I’m begging you please be safe out in new Rochelle as you can see they don’t care about us so be out there.”

“Totally agree.”

Links to Past Michael Vacarro Stories + Records, Videos, Audios, etc.