Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams issued the following statement in response to the firing of Officer Daniel Pantaleo by NYPD Commissioner James P. O'Neill for his role in the 2014 death of Eric Garner.
STATEMENT BY THE PUBLIC ADVOCATE
" Commissioner O'Neill came to the right decision to fire Daniel Pantaleo. Finally. After five years of waiting, five years of pain, five years of justice delayed and denied, we have some action, providing a small semblance of justice deserved.
"But the work needed to prevent these tragic incidents, to bring real accountability and transparency which will continue the push toward true community-police relationships in this city and around the country, is only beginning. Supporting our men and women in blue and demanding accountability are not mutually exclusive, and we must reject the voices of those who try to make us choose.
"We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together. We must move forward together."