New York, NY - NYPD Chief of Department Joseph Esposito Admits Making Inappropriate Comments

New York, NY - Quiet has returned but tensions remain high following a massive protest in Borough Park where the actions of the police, and the words of the highest ranking NYPD official are being called into question.

Hundreds of Borough Park residents rushed the 66th precinct station house chanting "No justice, no peace" to protest what witnesses say was the rough treatment of a 75-year-old Hasidic business-owner by police.

Chief of Department Joseph Esposito now admits he made inappropriate comments during the chaos. He does not however admit to singling out Jews in his words as some city council members say he did.

The Police department released a statement saying Esposito "acknowledged that in attempting to bring under control a chaotic situation in front of the 66th Precinct stationhouse last night he used inappropriate language in instructing police officers."

Brooklyn City Councilor Simcha Felder accused the chief of saying, "get the .... Jews out of here. Get the .... Jews out of here. That is something that is inexcusable, intolerable," Felder says.

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Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly insisted he had "total confidence" in the chief.
"Sometimes in a chaotic situation things may be said that people might regret in the future," Kelly said. "But he's an outstanding commander, and I think overall the situation was handled well."

When he was responding to a reporter's question about whether his officers had trod too lightly, Mr. Kelly said that the response had been appropriate.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, said that, although officials would review the entire episode, "from what I can see the police department acted appropriately."

Dov Hikind blamed the police, and of Esposito, he said: "We don't want his head. We want an apology." "The behavior of the young people in the street was unfortunate, but it escalated because of the police," he said.