Lt. Richard Mack joins 'Fox & Friends' after being released from the hospital.
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Good morning, thank you
Steve all right. You did not
have that patch until a couple
of days ago,
can you tell us what happened
with this brawl on the Brooklyn
Bridge last week?
Well, without going into too
much detail its about the crime.
Specifically,
I will tell you that we call it
the SRG strategic response
group and we do protests and our
job is to keep the peace and
there were some people that did
not want to let the clergy March
peacefully over the bridge
Steve, and so you were there
enforcing the law and who
hit you
well, like I said, without
really going into it. We were
there to help the protesters
peacefully march across the
bridge or peacefully
protest against the protesters,
and what happened was there were
a group of individuals that
wanted to disrupt that protest
with weapons and with gear, and
unfortunately they surprised us
a little bit
Steve yeah, no kidding
you were in the hospital. A
couple of days tell us about your injuries.
Tell us about your injuries
yeah. I suffered a fractured
orbital lobe and I needed
emergency surgery.
Steve im, sorry about that.
What about the people? Who
allegedly did this
the person who allegedly
assaulted you?
Where are they now?
Well, numerous police officer?
S were assaulted on that
bridge that day,
I was never hit with a stick.
I was assaulted by someone else
that had like brass knuckle type
jewelry and what I was informed
with.
I was really blinded during this,
so I couldnt really tell-
and I was assaulted by several
individuals on that Bridge
Steve and are any of them in
jail right now, lieutenant
as far as I know, I think
they are almost all out
Steve. They were all released.
They were either released or
bail. Was posted,
Steve Lieutenant youve been in
this business a long enough time
remember in the old days when, if
you hit a cop or you assaulted,
a cop, you would go to jail and
stay there,
not just for hitting a cop
for assaulting people.
Ive been on this police
department. I just hit my 25th
year anniversary and I am
devastated of whats happening
to the people of the city that
really need the police,
including Us Steve. Well, we need the police
Steve. Well, we need the police,
but at the same time- and I know
you dont- want to talk about the
leadership of the community,
but this is a time when it is
really hard to be a cop in New
York, city and other metropolitan
areas,
its very difficult
ive. Also I teach use of force.
I was an adjunct, professor, and I
still am- and I believe in
policing,
I believe in the constitution.
I also trained rookie police
officers for many years and
ive trained more officers. More
than most departments have and
proudly, and some amazing
officers that ive trained are
now commanding officers and
theyve been outstanding and im,
proud of all of the work that
ive Donald the work that these
brave men and women in Blue have
done
Steve. Indeed
lieutenant you just said: youve
had over twenty five years on the force
you could retire after the week
youve had, I bet im not going
to put words in your mouth, but
if I were in your shoes id be
thinking about moving to Florida,
too
laughter.
Well, listen. I was born and
raised in New York City and im,
not going anywhere
the New York City Police
Department, isnt, going anywhere
either
Steve, but at the same time, when
we see whats happening to our
officers, who are being hand,
strung and its harder and
harder to do your job, youve got
to wonder. Why do I do this?
You know I ask myself that
same question and I think of
there was a young child. I think
his name was Gardner a one
year old child who was
murdered in Brooklyn, and
someone has to stand up and not
allow that to happen, and I
think about all of the officers
that ive trained over the years
and if somebody attacks one of
those officers im going to be
right there next to them to make
sure it doesnt happen either
Steve well, that is great
thats, a great sentiment and
once again were sorry about
your injuries. And, of course, we
all hope that justice is done in
this case, because youve Devot
Ed your life to keeping the
people safe here in New York
City
yeah, listen ive, been
through the hard times of the Ninety
S,
ive been through nine slash eleven. I have
asthma from nine Slash eleven.
I lost people that I worked with
on nine slash, eleven
ive lost partners from nine slash, 11
related illness and on
Sunday, when I was being released
from the hospital, a great
sargent that I worked within the
strategic response group. He
had been a military guy, he had
only been retired a few years
and he just died of nine slash. Eleven illness
weve lost more officers to nine slash eleven
illnesses than we did during
nine slash. Eleven
ive worked with some great hero
s and they need to be
acknowledged and never forgotten
Steve. They do indeed
well. We certainly admire what
you do and we were talking
before we got started.
Youve been on the force so long.
Once upon a time you
worked with a rookie cop by the
name of I think Dan
Bongino back in the street. Back
in the day,
yes, I did and then he went
on to bigger and better pastures.
I dont know the
secret service
Steve. Well, he served his
nation as well. Just like you
Lt Richard Mack, New York, city,
police, department, strategic.
Transcript generated on 2020-07-21.