NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Westchester County Legislator Damon Maher became the first elected official representing New Rochelle to take a public position on the criminal charges filed by Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah against New Rochelle Police Detective Michael Vaccaro.
In a statement sent to Talk of the Sound today, Maher condemned Vaccaro’s actions in the strongest terms and called for his immediate termination from the New Rochelle Police Department.
Statement by Damon Maher (June 25, 2021)
The only place where I have found the complete video of the incident involving the off-duty officer recently charged by the DA is in scrolling down in this online report:
As an elected official representing New Rochelle in the County Legislature, as a member of the County Policing Task Force and simply as a human being with two eyes and ears, I feel compelled to give my reaction. Also, the candidate opposing my re-election, a young gentleman from Eastchester, one of the other municipalities in the 10th County Legislative District, has felt the need to weigh in on this incident, so it is only fair that I do so as well.
First, the actions of the on-duty uniformed officers seeking to de-escalate the situation, including trying to separate the off-duty officer and the obviously unhinged civilian, are to be generally commended.
Second, NRPD leadership made the right call in referring the matter to DA Rocah and there was certainly more than enough evidence for the DA to charge criminally, and she should be commended for doing so. In the criminal law proceedings to follow Officer Vaccaro of course has the right to full due process, presumption of innocence while awaiting trial, the need for the prosecutor to prove the case against him beyond a reasonable doubt, and the right to be out of jail and free pending trial, so he may better prepare his legal defense.
But the video footage in which he swings around and sucker-punches a man already under control and being cuffed, then kicking at his head and having his own mini-Derek Chauvin moment in mashing the civilian’s face into the pavement — because the civilian yelled at him — is enough for immediate termination from employment with the City in my book. Aside from the direct personal wrong done to this civilian, consider the fact that nearly every instance of violent urban uprising is ignited by an incident of police brutality. We can thank our luck in New Rochelle that this incident didn’t occur on a crowded street corner in the middle of a hot summer day. See this excellent new book:
America on Fire: The Untold History of Police Violence and Black Rebellion Since the 1960s
It is much too risky to have a man like this in the NRPD. He is a ticking time bomb and I shudder to think what might have happened if he had his weapon with him.
Here is where my new political opponent comes in. Police union leaders issued statements supporting Vaccaro and attacking the DA. Here is what my opponent chose to say in his first public declaration of any kind:
“I fully support the statement by New Rochelle PBA President Christopher Greco. Once again, our law enforcement has been sent a politically motivated message. This type of anti-law enforcement rhetoric by our elected officials must end immediately. They are sending a very clear message that they support criminals over law enforcement. They are putting both our police and citizens in danger. Handcuffing our police will lead to more violence in our streets.”
Maybe he hadn’t taken a look at any of the evidence before he made the statement, but will do so now and then revise or withdraw the statement.
Maher’s statement comes in sharp contrast to the silence of New Rochelle elected officials who have said nothing after the publication of the shocking cell phone video documenting police brutality by one of their employees, the false narrative promulgated by New Rochelle PBA President Christopher Greco and attacks on Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah orchestrated by Greco.
Links to Past Michael Vacarro Stories + Records, Videos, Audios, etc.
He is simply an anti Christian Jewish man. Goyim pay attention