NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – City investigators found Mayor Bill de Blasio's NYPD security detail was misused on multiple occasions for political or personal purposes—and the NYPD official who oversees the detail was uncooperative with the investigation, according to a report released Thursday.
The Department of Investigation launched the probe back in 2019 amid several allegations de Blasio's security detail was misused, including to drive his son to or from college in Connecticut, and during the mayor's presidential campaign in 2019. The allegations, as well as a summary of the findings from the 49-page report, are listed below.
De Blasio’s security detail is comprised of members of the NYPD’s Intelligence Bureau. Within the bureau, the Executive Protection Unit (EPU) is responsible for the security needs of the mayor and, if necessary, his family. The report found a “misuse of EPU staff and resources.”
The report says the mayor inappropriately used his security detail to move his daughter's belongings and transport his son, and that they had both declined security, so they weren’t entitled to it. It also found de Blasio's detail shuttled staffers around without the mayor or first lady present, including staffers on his failed presidential bid. And because of that he owes the City of New York nearly $320,000. They also claim that the inspector who oversees the EPU “actively obstructed and sought to thwart this investigation, frustrating DOI’s efforts to learn the full facts regarding these allegations.”
A spokesperson for the mayor, Danielle Filson, criticized the findings of the report Thursday, saying in a statement, “Intelligence and security experts should decide how to keep the mayor and his family safe, not civilian investigators. This unprofessional report purports to do the NYPD’s job for them, but with none of the relevant expertise – and without even interviewing the official who heads intelligence for the City. As a result, we are left with an inaccurate report, based on illegitimate assumptions and a naïve view of the complex security challenges facing elected officials today.”
The statement from City Hall also said the DOI “ignores the very real threat assessment and concern against the Mayor and Mayor’s family,” noting that “the Mayor and his family receive numerous threats regularly.”
The DOI laid much of the blame for the misuse of the detail on the police department, saying it had no written procedures defining when and how the detail should be used.
“At the root of nearly all of these issues is the complete lack of any written policies or procedures at the NYPD for the operation of the mayoral security detail,” the agency’s report said. “Because it does not exist, neither the NYPD nor, as far as DOI is aware, any other City entity provided the Mayor, his family, or his representatives with any guidance – written or otherwise – concerning the appropriate or inappropriate uses of the security detail.”
Here are the findings of the investigation into four allegations outlined in the report:
1. Whether de Blasio had ordered members of his security detail to move his daughter, Chiara de Blasio, from her Brooklyn apartment to Gracie Mansion
FINDING:
“Regarding Chiara de Blasio’s move, DOI’s investigation determined that
multiple EPU members were present during Chiara de Blasio’s move
from her apartment, and that an NYPD sprinter van was used to
transport some of Chiara’s belongings from her apartment to Gracie
Mansion. DOI’s investigation found that at least one EPU member
participated in moving Chiara’s belongings – specifically, a futon – into
and out of the sprinter van. DOI’s investigation was unable to determine
whether NYPD resources assisted in the move at Mayor de Blasio’s
direct instruction. However, the provision of the sprinter van and the
assistance of NYPD personnel in physically moving furniture was a
misuse of NYPD resources for a personal benefit, whether it was
requested or merely accepted.”
2. Whether de Blasio ordered his security detail to drive his son, Dante de Blasio, to Yale University and to various destinations throughout New York City
FINDING:
“Regarding Dante de Blasio’s use of the security detail, DOI’s
investigation identified multiple instances when EPU detectives drove
Dante de Blasio to or from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut,
without the Mayor or First Lady present in the EPU vehicle. The
detectives interviewed by DOI asserted that the directives to drive
Dante de Blasio came from their superiors, not directly from Mayor de
Blasio. DOI also found that it was common practice for the EPU to drive
Dante de Blasio to locations around New York City without the Mayor
or First Lady present, typically at the direction of their EPU superiors.
However, both an EPU sergeant and a former mayoral staffer recalled
several instances when Mayor de Blasio directly requested that Dante
de Blasio be driven to locations throughout New York City, such as train
or bus stations, without the Mayor or First Lady present in the EPU
vehicle. Whether such rides were a misuse of NYPD resources for
personal benefit depends on whether Dante de Blasio was himself a
protectee or merely the child of a protectee. The children of protectees
are not entitled to use NYPD resources outside the presence of the protectee, absent an independent security determination by NYPD that
family members require protection. While multiple witnesses described
their understanding that Dante was 'entitled' to NYPD protection,
there are no records documenting a security determination that Dante
de Blasio should be a protectee or identifying the level of security that
he should be provided. Although it is the position of the NYPD
Intelligence Bureau that both de Blasio children should have full-time
protection, both children declined an assigned detail as adults. Since
that time, in practice, Dante’s use of NYPD resources was determined
by his personal preferences and the availability of personnel, rather
than any risk assessment.”
3. Whether de Blasio ordered his security detail to transport mayoral staff members, or members of his presidential campaign staff, without him in the vehicle
FINDING:
“DOI’s investigation also revealed numerous instances when EPU
members transported mayoral staffers to various locations, including to
their homes, and assisted them in running errands for the Mayor.
Additionally, DOI identified several instances when the security detail
was asked to transport guests of the Mayor, at his direction, without
him present in the vehicle.”
4. Whether the City of New York had borne the ancillary travel costs for the mayor’s security detail during his 2020 presidential campaign
FINDING:
“DOI determined that the City of New York expended $319,794 for the
members of Mayor de Blasio’s security detail to travel on the Mayor’s
presidential campaign trips. Mayor de Blasio has not reimbursed the
City for these expenses, either personally or through his campaign. DOI
also found that, during these campaign trips, EPU members
occasionally transported Mayor de Blasio’s campaign staffers while
driving the Mayor. Both reflect a use of NYPD resources for political
purposes.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.