A first attempt by cops to calm down the public and try to regain public trust came in a tweet by community affairs boss Chief Joanne Jaffe:
The #NYPD is committed to rebuilding public trust. #Wehearyou
— Chief Joanne Jaffe (@NYPDCommAffairs) December 3, 2014
Instead of calming the public, the message was retweeted 661 times opening a tweet battle:
@NYPDCommAffairs No, you don’t. Protecting your own ranks will always come before the public and the law.
— Omar H (@ITOmarHernandez) December 3, 2014
@NYPDCommAffairs of course murdering people into trusting you. That NYPD logic.
— Rebelololol (@Seductivpancake) December 3, 2014
Fucking pathetic liars. How ab hearing “I can’t breathe” RT @NYPDCommAffairs The #NYPD is committed to rebuilding public trust. #Wehearyou
— Isaac Saul (@Ike_Saul) December 3, 2014
“@NYPDCommAffairs: The #NYPD is committed to rebuilding public trust. #Wehearyou” just like you heard #ericgarner‘s last breath?
— [Bae]lock Holmes (@Apten0dytes) December 3, 2014
Jaffe’s next try, on Dec. 7th:
#NYPD Grace Under Pressure: http://t.co/AJ9WU6mLBX pic.twitter.com/pA29AENK2b
— Chief Joanne Jaffe (@NYPDCommAffairs) December 7, 2014
Neither received many positive reactions like ffpattyo’s (@ffpattyo) response:
@brayandbooks it’s very easy for u to sit in your ivory tower and cast judgement on hard working cops who risk their life for your safety
— ffpattyo (@ffpattyo) 7. Dezember 2014
Besides very few compassionate voices in the public, the average thoughts about those tweets were negative and followed by sarcastic or ironic answers like:
@NYPDCommAffairs Where was the grace under pressure when they killed Eric Garner?
— It’s Time For Change (@brayandbooks) 7. Dezember 2014
But maybe those reactions are reasonable.
The NYPD press office tweeted:
New #NYPD 3-Day Training For Officers Promotes Smart Policing http://t.co/5L50UjdeZJ pic.twitter.com/OmX6UTArKp
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) 5. Dezember 2014
@NYPDnews Did the people who killed #EricGarner go through this? Did they pass? Why did you wait?
— Nadia (@tinyladynadia) 5. Dezember 2014
@NYPDnews Teach them about ‘choke-holds’ and to be ‘color-blind!’ Sorry to hear you feel ‘under attack?’Imagine feeling like your VICTIMS!!
— LucyLoo (@lucy_loo1956) 5. Dezember 2014
When the press office tweeted about a cop who helped a woman pay the towing fee on her car, the response was tepid:
NYPD Officer Steps In After Woman Can’t Pay Towing Fee http://t.co/1rDDu2mmft pic.twitter.com/m57Rho1Ttp
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) 6. Dezember 2014
@NYPDnews Nice try is this part of a new PR campaign? “We pay your fee, but we might kill You!”
BTW tell us, Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
— Roland von Ciel (@rolandvonciel) 6. Dezember 2014
Nothing seems to be helping the NYPD in their war against twitter:
“@NYPDnews: Hard working @NYPD28Pct cops took this illegal gun off the streets of #Harlem pic.twitter.com/1mFdmZUIqi” they gonna use it on us
— Beautiful (@Tamira___) 7. Dezember 2014
Not everyone has lost faith in the NYPD:
@NYPDnews @NYPD28Pct great work officers! Keep it up. And stay safe out there.
— Dan MacNeil (@DanMac2014) 7. Dezember 2014