The mayor went on the defensive Monday wwhen asked about his security detail being caught on video breaking traffic laws days after he called for crackdown on bad drivers.
At an unrelated news conference, Mayor Bill De Blasio said that no one should be above the law but also said that his NYPD detail has the best judgment when it comes to keeping him secure on the road.
The WCBS/2 footage showing the mayor’s van running through stop signs in Queens on Thursdaycame days after the mayor laid out his “Vision Zero” initiative that would reduce pedestrian deaths by enforcing tougher laws on speeding and reckless motorists, but de Blasio said his security detail’sactions were an exception.
“We aim to change this city fundamentally. But at the same time, there needs to be a respect for the fact that the NYPD provides security, and they do it in a very professional manner, and I will not get into a discussion of their security protocols,” he told reporters.
The mayor was not driving the van shown in the footage.
De Blasio, who later came under scrutiny for jaywalking Friday, reiterated that although he will continue pursuing the Vision Zero plan, he won’t second guess his security detail.
“I respect that they see things we may not see. They make decisions and I respect those decisions,” he said.
