NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Elected officials are calling for the arrest of a white woman who called 911 on a black bird watcher in Central Park this week.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, a former NYPD officer, says Amy Cooper broke the law when she called 911 to report she was being threatened by “an African-American man" after Christian Cooper, no relation, asked her to leash her dog in the Ramble on Monday.
"Those responding police officers should have looked at that tape and immediately arrested Amy Cooper," Adams said during a news conference that was held Wednesday in the spot where the viral confrontation occurred.
Adams said Amy Cooper should be arrested for filing a false police report.
"We can arrest someone for pulling a fire alarm, we can certainly arrest someone for attempting to destroy and burn down the life of an innocent person," Adams said.
In an interview with PIX11, NYPD First Deputy Commissioner Benjamin Tucker called the incident "disturbing," but said no charges will be filed.
"We’ve got bigger fish to fry, I think, and the DA would never prosecute that," Tucker said.
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams fired back saying, "There is no bigger fish to fry than the institution of racism and bigotry that is pervasive in every damn institution across the city, state and this country."
The confrontation is taking on added significance in the wake of the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.
"To then say we have bigger fish to fry, how dare you, people are dying," Williams said.
The NYPD says it's in touch with the Manhattan district attorney and would see where the evidence took them.
The city's Commission on Human Rights has opened an investigation into the incident.
Amy Cooper was fired from her job at the investment company, Franklin Templeton, and returned her cocker spaniel to the rescue group where she adopted it. She publicly apologized and told CNN, “I am not a racist.”
Meanwhile, the bird watcher told the New York Daily News that he thought Amy Cooper went to a racist place, but he didn't think she deserved death threats and getting fired from her job.