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Bloomberg vows to veto NYPD inspector general plan

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is urging New York City Council members to oppose a plan for an inspector general at the Police Department.

Bloomberg said Wednesday he would veto the proposal if it passed. He says it would make the city less safe.

The NYPD is the only major police department the country without an independent inspector general's office overseeing it, according to Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, who is running for mayor.

He has called for the creation of an independent inspector general's office with its own budget and subpoena power.

Since June 2012, a bill to create an inspector general's office has been languishing in committee. Speaker Christine Quinn, who is also running for mayor, did not allow a vote. But Tuesday afternoon she announced a broad agreement to move forward.

De Blasio said that the United States was built on checks and balances. He sees an inspector general's office as a possible way to prevent stop and frisk, a policy that civil rights organizations say unconstitutionally targets minority men.

The NYPD and Mayor Mike Bloomberg say stop and frisk has reduced crime in New York City.

Quinn released a statement: "We have reached broad agreement on the Inspector General legislation which will enhance the effectiveness of the Department, and at the same (time) will increase the public's confidence in the police force, building stronger police-community relations."

But the key words may be "broad agreement." No specifics have been agreed upon.

De Blasio has said that without an independent, strong inspector general's office, it would be toothless like the present civilian complaint review board. 

The NYPD said that it is subject to more oversight than any other police department in America, citing an Internal Affairs Bureau of 1,000 officers and the CCRB.