A decade ago, a shocking tragedy occurred in Brooklyn, New York. Two police officers from the New York Police Department, Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu, were brutally shot and killed while in their patrol car. This violent act occurred amid citywide protests following the controversial death of Eric Garner. Garner’s death, which occurred at the hands of an NYPD officer who applied an illegal chokehold, sparked a wave of anti-police sentiment. The NYPD officer involved was never charged.
The cold-blooded killings of Officers Ramos and Liu marked a turning point in the relations between law enforcement and the residents of New York City. These horrific events prompted police professionals to introduce new strategies aimed at increasing the safety of officers while on duty. Public opinion on criminal justice reform has vacillated since then. Despite strides made towards reform, the bereaved families of these officers underscore the demand for ongoing work to improve the ties between the police and the community.
At that time, the local police felt a lack of support from then-Mayor Bill de Blasio, who openly sympathized with the protestors. Tensions rose to such a height that at the hospital, on the day of the officers’ deaths, and at a subsequent funeral, hundreds of officers dramatically turned their backs on de Blasio. The following years witnessed an escalation of protests rooted in calls for criminal justice reform and a reduction in NYPD funding.
Following the enactment of police reforms, the public started voicing concerns about an apparent increase in disorder and insecurity. This unease eventually led to the election of Mayor Eric Adams in 2021. As a former NYPD captain, Adams ran his campaign on the promise of upholding law and order. These days, the police remain committed to mending their bond with the community and the populace is similarly invested in this process of reconciliation.
On the ill-fated day of December 20, 2014, Officers Ramos and Liu were stationed at the crossroads of Myrtle and Tompkins avenues in Brooklyn. Eyewitness accounts describe the attacker, identified as Ismaaiyl Brinsley, walking up to the passenger side of their car and firing four shots from a semiautomatic pistol, fatally hitting both officers. Brinsley fled the scene and later ended his life in the Myrtle-Willoughby Avenues subway station.
Earlier in the day, Brinsley had shot his girlfriend in Baltimore, and then made his way to New York. He shared threatening messages against law enforcement on social media during this journey. He specifically referenced two recent events—the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, both at the hands of police officers. His posts included darkly ominous statements, such as, ‘I will be giving wings to pigs today,’ accompanied by a picture of a semi-automatic gun.
The killings of Officers Ramos and Liu sparked several advancements in technology and improved measures to ensure officer safety. The NYPD responded by initiating various measures including the use of bulletproof vehicles and equipping officers with smartphones. In addition, they established two new special units to focus on intelligence.
The Strategic Response Group and the Critical Response Command, despite receiving some criticism, were set up post the incident. These units are tasked with handling sensitive assignments such as counter-terrorism and managing protests. On the day of the murders, crucial information about Brinsley’s intentions was circulated from Baltimore. But this information was not received in time by officers on patrol, owing to outdated paper-based communication methods.
Fast forward to six years later, and another swell of protests erupted, this time in response to the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis. In New York, these demonstrations and subsequent push for change led to the overturning of state law “50-a,” a statute that had previously concealed police disciplinary records from the public. The protests also gave rise to the ‘defund the police’ movement, resulting in a billion-dollar budget cut for the NYPD.
Despite these reforms, Jim Bueermann, a retired police chief from California and think tank member, suggests that policing has experienced substantial improvement over the years. He notes that police leadership is now more educated and more focused on understanding and meeting the requirements of the community. According to Bueermann, the deaths of Ramos and Liu were tragic events that had far-reaching impact, leading to a wave of police professionalization around the country.
Despite the diversity within the entire NYPD force, leadership roles continue to be held predominantly by white officers. Under the leadership of Mayor Adams, the NYPD has shifted back towards more traditional policing methods, cracking down on minor offenses and opposing cash-bail reforms. However, Patrick Hendry, the president of the rank-and-file NYPD officers union, asserts that the anti-police sentiment present during the time of Liu and Ramos’ deaths is still a prevalent issue.
The NYPD, therefore, calls for unity and support from the public for its officers who courageously continue their duties. For the families and friends of Officer Ramos and Officer Liu, a key part of the healing process involves mending the relationship between the police and the community. Maritza Ramos, the widow of Officer Ramos, and Officer Ramos’s friend, Jose Falero, established the Detective Rafael Ramos Foundation to aid this healing process.
The foundation organizes toy giveaways, providing an opportunity for uniformed officers to interact with children in their local communities. This initiative helps build trust and rapport between law enforcement and the younger generation. Maritza Ramos emphasized the importance of fostering positive interactions between the police and the community, stating, ‘My husband died unfortunately because someone thought that all cops are bad.’
Wenjian Liu’s wife, Pei Xia Chen, set up the Wenjian Liu Foundation with the intention of helping the families of fallen first responders. After losing her husband, Pei Xia Chen found solace in the companionship of a black lab named Liuliu. Inspired by Liu’s story, the foundation has since trained nine therapy dogs to support families of other NYPD and FDNY personnel who have faced similar losses. Despite the stigma around law enforcement, she highlights the importance of showing support rather than constant criticism.
As we remember the tragic events of that December day for NYPD, it is important to also focus on the progress made and work still left to do. The relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve continues to evolve, as both sides strive to understand and support each other in pursuit of a safer, more harmonious city.