July 31, 1961 - New York City Police Commissioner Michael J. Murphy today denounced recent attacks upon policemen. Mr. Murphy said 1,780 policemen, nearly five a day, had been assaulted while carrying out their duties in the last 12 months. The latest near-riot occurred Friday night in Harlem. Stones, garbage and bottles were hurled at policemen from the street and roofs as they sought to break up a disturbance on West 125th St. "All too often, what begins as an arrest for a minor violation becomes a major incident magnified by rumor and hysteria," Commissioner Murphy told the men. "Few if any persons will assist the police. Such public apathy is bad enough. But worse are the cases of contrived public resistance in which an arrest becomes an excuse for attack and combating disorder too often becomes the signal for more disorder."
