Democrats let down majority black NY city as police bigwig accused of joining son in gang drive-by: critics

Critics blasted Democrats for “embarrassing” a majority black Westchester County city after a police bigwig was arrested for joining her gangbanger son on a drive-by shooting in the Bronx.Locals said Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard has left the residents of Mount Vernon with more questions than answers after the Democratic leader blamed Deputy Police Commissioner Jennifer Lackard’s hiring on deceased former Commissioner Glenn Scott — and countrywide police reforms following George Floyd’s killing.Now one fiery law enforcement activist and others are calling for a formal probe.Lackard, 49, a sorority sister of Patterson-Howard, was hired by her for the high-up position in 2020 when she had zero police experience, an ex-con hubby and a troubled son in a Bronx street gang. “This should be an opportunity to demonstrate what professional Black leadership, accountable government and effective community-based policing can look like,” Damon K.Jones, a representative for Blacks in Law Enforcement of America, railed in a press release. “Instead, the failures coming from City Hall and police leadership have repeatedly embarrassed the department and overshadowed the work of the many dedicated officers who continue to serve the community professionally.”Locals blasted the mayor, who sources told The Post may have been urged to hire Lackard by Democratic powerbroker Rev.

Franklyn Richardson of Grace Baptist Church, where they both attended services.“It’s favoritism,” charged CB Griffin, 54, a Mount Vernon grocer. “You’ll probably find a lot of that in this city government.”Mount Vernon, a city of 72,000 people and a known Democratic stronghold, is no stranger to controversy. The arrest is the latest stain on the troubled city, which has seen two sitting mayors arrested while in office and multiple police department controversies.The mayors — Ernie Davis and Richard Thomas —  left office after being charged with federal tax evasion and s...