In other words, police must mind the law—"'taking photographs, videotapes or tape recordings' do not constitute probable cause for arrest"—that has always existed (but for real now). If laws and regulations seem like mere recommendations until somebody writes a memo (chokeholds, lethal or not, aren't permitted under NYPD regulations, but that did not stop the death of Eric Garner), then NYPD memos are about to churn out like never before.
Although the latest gesture should be common sense, it's really a definitive step in the right direction for a police department desperate to regain the trust of citizens. Last month, a Staten Island cop killed Eric Garner while performing a chokehold that was both illegal and unwarranted. Garner was allegedly targeted because of his history of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes. Cigarette prices hover around $14 per pack in NYC, which has the highest tobacco tax in the country, so selling tax-free smokes isn't as uncommon as it is in other parts of the country.
A bystander videotaped the homicide but not without experiencing resistance. Thanks to that documentation, the tragedy can receive at least review, and, at best, justice.
Mayor Bill de Blasio called a meeting after Garner's death to facilitate positive reform and communication between local government and people. Police Chief Phillip Banks responded: "We shall retrain the whole department – all 35,000 members." These memos might just be the start of it. The mayor said he'll strive to create "mutual respect" and patiently resolve "issues that were decades in the making."
Whenever citizens and police distrust each other, it's because both parties have been conditioned to do so over time. This seems like common sense, as with a memo that reminds officers to heed existing laws and constitutional amendments. Unfortunately, common sense doesn't always solve the problems its absence created.