African-American woman gains access to key New York police station

By becoming head of patrols, Juanita Holmes will be at the head of 77 police stations and the majority of New York police (illustration).

Photo by Scott Roth / Invision / AP

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

Juanita Holmes has been appointed to one of the key positions in the New York Police Department.

A promotion that comes in a very difficult context for the police with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Publicity

Read more

With our correspondent in New York,

This is one of the NYPD's most prestigious positions.

By becoming head of patrols, Juanita Holmes will be in charge of 77 police stations and most of the New York police.

A first for a black woman in the city police.

Knowing that she was already the most senior woman in the department.

This promotion, which is part of a series of reforms within the NYPD, is crucial.

Beyond the historical symbol, it intervenes in a troubled period for the American police forces, and the NYPD in particular.

After months of protests against racism and police violence in the country, during which the New York police have sometimes been criticized, accused of brutality.

In recent months, with the rise in crime, many also accuse the police and powerful New York unions that support Donald Trump of having intentionally eased off to let crime increase.

To all this must be added the budget cuts caused by the economic crisis.

Juanita Holmes, who takes office this Friday, has promised to do everything to restore the confidence of New Yorkers in their police.

In particular, it wants to strengthen local policing and investment in the various communities of the city.

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

• United States