New York police shooting: Officers 'funeral is for grief not grievance,' says commissioner

At the funeral for the other officer slain, many turned their backs when Mayor Bill de Blasio began his eulogy

Police pay their respects to Wenjian Liu on Saturday (Getty) (Getty)

New York's police commissioner has asked members of the force attending the services for the second officer slain in Brooklyn last month to refrain from the "act of disrespect" seen at his partner's funeral, when some of the tens of thousands in uniform turned their backs on the mayor.

"A hero's funeral is about grieving, not grievance," wrote Commissioner Bill Bratton in a memo to be read at roll calls over the weekend before the funeral of Wenjian Liu today.

The funeral for his partner, Rafael Ramos, was among the largest in the history of the department, with more than 20,000 officers filling streets around the church.

When Mayor Bill de Blasio began his eulogy, many officers turned their backs on television monitors set up outside, in a gesture of disdain following his criticisms of police policies.

"For the past seven days, the city's and the country's consciousness has focused on an act of disrespect," said Mr Bratton. He said it had stolen the "valour, honour and attention" that rightfully belonged to the fallen.

Liu, 32, and Ramos, 40, were shot on 20 December in their squad car. The killer, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, who killed himself, said he was seeking to avenge the deaths of two unarmed black men by police.

Reuters