NYPD officer in Eric Garner case fired: Live updates – CNN

Before announcing Daniel Pantaleo’s firing, NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill had a lengthy introduction describing the tough decisions police must often make.

“Every day in New York, people receive summons or arrested by officers without any physical force being used. But some people choose to verbally and/or physically resist the enforcement action lawfully being taken against them,” he said

“Those situations are unpredictable and dangerous to everyone involved. The street is never the right place to argue the appropriateness of an arrest. That is what our courts are for. Being a police officer is one of the hardest jobs in the world.”

O’Neill went on to explain the series of events that led to his decision today.