The head of the Rochester patrol officers union, Mike Mazzeo, says the officers present when Daniel Prude was taken into custody followed the training they'd had just weeks before. And Mazzeo denies he and the union were involved in any effort to cover-up information about Prude's death.
Mazzeo says the union first learned about the Daniel Prude case soon after it happened, when the police chief's office asked the officers involved to speak to criminal investigators. Mazzeo says the officers waived their right to remain silent. And he says the union was not told of an internal affairs investigation until yesterday.
He says the union had no knowledge of the family's concerns until this week.And he says the release of body camera video was an unprecedented action in a criminal investigation.
Mazzeo also adds that one of the seven suspended officers was not at the scene. And he acknowledged police definitely need more help dealing with people who are mentally ill.