CRI听力:Police Turn Back on New York Mayor at Slain Officer's Funeral

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has made an appeal for reconciliation in his eulogy for the second of two police officers shot dead in Brooklyn last month, as officers turned their backs on him.

CRI's New York correspondent Su Yi has more.

Thousands of police officers from around the United States, politicians and other mourners joined family members inside a Brooklyn funeral home to honor Liu Wenjian, who is believed to be the NYPD's first Chinese-American officer to be killed in the line of duty.

Outside the funeral home, hundreds of blue-uniformed officers could be seen turning away from de Blasio as the mayor began speaking.

"All our city is heartbroken today. We have seen in the past two weeks the pain that people feel from all walks of life, the sense of appreciation for the sacrifices of this family and Ramos's family, the understanding from the people who have never worn uniform how many dangers the men and women in uniform face and what it means for their families."

Liu Wenjian and his partner Rafael Ramos were ambushed on Dec. 20 by a killer who said he wanted to avenge the deaths of the unarmed black men killed by white officers.

The ambush has led to accusations the mayor contributed to an anti-police climate.

However, many officers attending Sunday's funeral say they just simply want to pay tribute to a colleague who was killed in a shocking attack.

"It is heart wrenching because this is something you would desire to help people. Unfortunately not everybody sees it that way."

Liu's wife Chen Peixia has paid a tearful tribute to her husband, calling him a hero.

"(He is) a caring son, a loving husband and a loyal friend. You are an amazing man. Even though he left us early, but I believe that he is still with us. His spirit will continue to look after us."

Even though fewer officers participated in the silent protest against the mayor than a week earlier at Ramos' funeral, the gesture highlights how far relations between the police force and the mayor have deteriorated since the murders.

It is the latest turn in a nationwide debate in the US over racial relations and law enforcement.

The debate was rekindled this summer by the deaths of unarmed black men in Ferguson, Missouri, and New York City in encounters with white officers.

For CRI, I'm Su Yi in New York.