A Mayoral Bid Pledging to “leave no New Yorker behind” by focusing on public education and neighborhood and pocketbook issues, Bill de Blasio, New York City's public advocate at the time, says he is entering the race to become the next mayor. De Blasio Calls for Police Department Inspector General Mr. de Blasio says  to provide independent oversight. Throughout his campaign, he continues his criticism of the department's aggressive use of stop-and-frisk tactics. De Blasio Backs Bill to Allow Racial Profiling Lawsuits In a mayoral debate, Mr. de Blasio says he supports a bill that would allow people to sue in state court claiming racial profiling by the police. Judge Faults City on Stop-and-Frisk Practice Judge Shira A. Scheindlin of Federal District Court in Manhattan rules the Police Department's stop-and-frisk tactics are unconstitutional, saying the department resorted to a “policy of indirect racial profiling." Her handling of the case is later criticized by a panel of appellate judges, who transfer the underlying lawsuits to another judge. De Blasio Runs Ad Against Stop-and-Frisk Practice Mr. de Blasio releases a campaign ad recounting conversations with his son, Dante, who is black, about how to handle an encounter with police officers. City Elects de Blasio in Landslide Mr. de Blasio says his lopsided victory represents a turn for the city after 12 years under Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. “Make no mistake," Mr. de Blasio says in his victory speech, "the people of this city have chosen a progressive path, and tonight we set forth on it, together.” Police Union Faults de Blasio's Stance on Stop-and-Frisk Case Patrick J. Lynch, president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, criticizes the mayor-elect’s plan to drop the city’s appeal of the stop-and-frisk decision, saying that the ensuing changes are "going to make it difficult to do our job.” Bratton Is Named Police Commissioner William J. Bratton is named police commissioner in what is perhaps the most important appointment by Mr. de Blasio. For Mr. Bratton, who held the job in the 1990s, his return looms as perhaps his biggest challenge: keeping crime down while mending the Police Department's relationship with minorities. “In this city, I want every New Yorker to talk about ‘their police’, ‘my police,’ ” he says. New Mayor Vows Reforms In his inauguration speech, Mr. de Blasio promises to reform the stop-and-frisk policy, "both to protect the dignity and rights of young men of color, and to give our brave police officers the partnership they need to continue their success in driving down crime." Mayor Hires a Top Aide to Sharpton Rachel Noerdlinger, a top aide to the Rev. Al Sharpton,  to Mr. de Blasio's wife, Chirlane McCray, to the dismay of some officers. City Settles Lawsuit Over Stop-and-Frisk Practice “We’re here today to turn the page on one of the most divisive problems in our city,” Mr. de Blasio says at a news conference. “We believe in ending the overuse of stop-and-frisk that has unfairly targeted young African-American and Latino men.” De Blasio Unveils Steps to Eliminate Traffic Deaths Mr. de Blasio introduces an aggressive plan to reduce traffic deaths, saying “our lives are literally in each other’s hands.” Mayor Is Caught Breaking Traffic Laws Marcia Kramer of WCBS reports that the mayor's caravan  . The mayor's office refers questions to the Police Department, which is responsible for his security and transportation. Staten Island Man Dies After Chokehold Eric Garner, 43, an unarmed black Staten Island man who officers said was selling loose cigarettes, dies after an encounter with the police. During the arrest, a white officer uses a chokehold, a banned tactic that the medical examiner later finds contributed to Mr. Garner's death. The event is captured on video and is widely circulated. De Blasio Responds to Garner Death Mr. de Blasio delays his vacation by a day so he can publicly address the fatal police encounter, much of which was recorded by bystanders. “Like so many New Yorkers I was very troubled by the video," he says. De Blasio Hosts Meeting to 'Air Tensions' At an unusual scene at City Hall, the Rev. Al Sharpton criticizes the Police Department and demands punishment for the officers who arrested Mr. Garner, as Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Bratton looks on. Inquiry Into Omission by Top Aide to de Blasio's Wife Weeks of damaging news reports about Ms. Noerdlinger reach a climax when she is questioned by investigators over her failure to disclose on a formal background questionnaire that she lived with a man who had an extensive criminal record. Mr. de Blasio staunchly defends her, while Mr. Sharpton suggests that police unions were behind the reports. Noerdlinger Takes a Leave of Absence Ms. Noerdlinger leaves the de Blasio administration after her teenage son is arrested on trespassing charges. Grand Jury Declines to Indict Officer in Chokehold Case When the announcement comes that no criminal charges will be brought against the officer who put Mr. Garner in a chokehold, protests erupt in New York City. At a news conference, Mr. de Blasio gives a strikingly personal speech, saying that he and his wife have instructed their son Dante “on how to take special care” in encounters with police officers. Officers Are Assaulted in Garner Protests Protests over the Garner decision continue for days, and during one demonstration on the Brooklyn Bridge, two police officers are assaulted. The mayor denounces the episode, but critics take issue with his use of the word "allegedly" to describe the attack. Two Officers Are Killed in Brooklyn Ambush Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, sitting in their patrol car in Brooklyn, are shot and killed by a man who, officials said, had traveled from Baltimore vowing to kill officers. At a news conference, police union leaders and officers are seen turning their backs to the mayor and Commissioner Bratton. Edward Mullins, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, says in a statement: “Mayor de Blasio, the blood of these two officers is clearly on your hands.” Police Department’s Solidarity Is on Display More than 20,000 police officers come to Queens for the funeral of Officer Rafael Ramos, standing outside the Christ Tabernacle Church to watch the service broadcast on large screens. When Mr. de Blasio speaks, scores of officers turn their backs. De Blasio Meets With Union Leaders The extraordinary two-hour meeting amounts to a private airing of grievances between union officials who have long been skeptical of the mayor and an administration that has lately been upended by the killings and their aftermath. Another Silent Protest of Mayor de Blasio Officers again make a silent show of protest against Mayor de Blasio, turning their backs when he begins his eulogy at the funeral of Officer Liu. Arrests Plunge in New York City For two straight weeks, police officers sharply cut back on making arrests and issuing summonses throughout New York, magnifying the growing divide between the city’s police force and Mr. de Blasio.
The Times examined the moments both big and small, as well as perceived slights and missed opportunities, that have fed a sense of distrust of the mayor.