Policing Again at Center of Debate As Candidates Forcefully Clash

The first in-person debate among the Democratic candidates for Mayor June 2 on WABC-TV was less mannerly and more-intense than the May 13 Zoom showdown televised by NY1, as several of them went after opponents in trying to make an impression just 10 days before early voting begins for the June 22 primary, but a common thread in both was that their differing positions on the Police Department took center stage.  

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, perceived as being the front-runner in a race in which relatively little polling has been done because of the added complication created by ranked-choice voting, was the primary target of several contenders, both because of that status and the degree to which he has staked out policing as his primary issue, aided by his 22 years as a cop who was often critical of the NYPD while rising to become a Captain before retiring to enter politics.