The NYPD said a social media post by a top official attacking a judge was a clear-eyed appraisal of the criminal justice system that New Yorkers should expect more of in the future.
A spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams said Chief of Patrol John Chell was countering “misinformation” with “facts.” NYPD spokesperson Tarik Sheppard said officials were using a new tactic to hold people accountable, including journalists and critics who “haven’t done their homework.”
But apparently the NYPD didn’t do its homework either.
Writing on the social media platform X, Chell criticized Acting Supreme Court Justice J. Machelle Sweeting for allegedly releasing someone with numerous prior arrests and convictions back out onto the streets without bail. He praised Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for “doing his job” in asking for bail. His post was shared by three top NYPD officials, including a deputy commissioner.
Neither Bragg nor Sweeting were involved in the case, said courts spokesperson Al Baker.
“The recent social media posts from NYPD officials criticizing a recent bail decision not only indicated that the crime allegedly took place in the wrong county, it also named a judge that did not preside over the case,” Baker said in a statement Thursday night.
The turn of events came after legal experts and elected officials sharply criticized the statements for being inappropriate and posing a danger to judges. It follows recent police claims about the migrant crisis that were not supported by data. The NYPD has become increasingly assertive on social media, most recently deriding a freelance journalist who has criticized aggressive police interactions with protesters.
The NYPD and mayor’s office initially doubled down on the post.
Adams’ spokesperson Charles Lutvak said of the initial posts, “When misinformation festers on social media, the NYPD is countering it with facts.”
Sheppard said, “most of it comes from people that haven’t done their homework, haven’t done a single piece of research, call themselves reporters and have never taken the time to come meet with us.” He said to expect more posts calling out judges and other officials.
Baker said Thursday evening that “judges have discretion in making bail decisions in accordance with the law and based on an assessment of a defendant’s risk of flight.”
The mayor’s office and NYPD did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday.
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