Mayor de Blasio beats back police union criticism of Germany trip
NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday was still defending his trip to the G-20 summit in Germany last week. Some members of the NYPD felt he left the city too soon after the murder of police Detective Miosotis Familia.
Reporters asked the mayor about the police officers that turned their backs on him while he was speaking at Familia's funeral. De Blasio said police unions created the controversy.
Some police unions and some regular New Yorkers have criticized the mayor for traveling to Germany after Familia was assassinated at her command post vehicle in the Bronx last Wednesday. Some critics feel the mayor should've been at home helping the NYPD and city heal.
The mayor said he was in the officer's room while she was dying and had to break the news to her daughter. He said the next day he spent time with cops at the 46 Precinct.
De Blasio said he made a last-minute decision to go to Germany based on when Familia's family would be holding her wake and funeral. He said he only made the decision to go to Europe when the officer's family scheduled the service for this week.