NYC Mayor de Blasio: Police were disrespectful to turn backs

Some police officers turn their backs as Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks during the funeral of New York Police Department Officer Wenjian Liu, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Liu and his partner, officer Rafael Ramos, were killed Dec. 20 as they sat in their patrol car on a Brooklyn street. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, later killed himself. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) Some police officers turn their backs as Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks during the funeral of New York Police Department Officer Wenjian Liu, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Liu and his partner, officer Rafael Ramos, were killed Dec. 20 as they sat in their patrol car on a Brooklyn street. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, later killed himself. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

By Associated Press January 5, 2015 1 min read

NEW YORK (AP) – Mayor Bill de Blasio says it was “disrespectful” that some NYPD officers turned their backs to him during a pair of funerals for slain police officers.

De Blasio said that the actions were hurtful to the families of the two cops killed in an ambush last month. He also said Monday, in his first remarks on the officers’ protests, that the public rebuke was an offense to the city at large.

Police Commissioner William Bratton also condemned their actions.

The rift between the police unions and de Blasio has created the biggest crisis of his mayoralty. The unions have blamed de Blasio for fostering an anti-NYPD atmosphere they believe contributed to the murders of the officers.