#Police troopers union backs Eric Adams for mayor

The head of the union representing 4,000 New York State Police Troopers is backing Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams for mayor.

“Adams has walked the walk. He speaks our language,” New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association President Thomas Mungeer told The Post, noting Adams, a retired NYPD officer, was an ally when he served as a state senator representing central Brooklyn from 2007 to 2013 before getting elected borough president.

“Adams was a friend of the troopers when he was in the state Senate. He was a friend for a long time. He was a person we could rely on to listen to us. He had a sympathetic ear. He’s a retired cop. As president of the Troopers PBA, I can say he has my support for mayor. I hope he wins the Democratic Primary.”

Mungeer, who has hundreds of troopers stationed or residing in the city, said Adams is far and away the most qualified candidate to address crime.

“Eric Adams seems more concerned about public safety than the other candidates I see running,” he said, noting that Adams is embracing his record as a police officer, not running away from it.

Mungeer said he’s alarmed when he hears other candidates vowing to “defund” the police or even refusing to commit to not disarm cops, a reference to comments candidate Maya Wiley made in a debate last week and has bene trying to walk back ever since.

“Adams is certainly not advocating that cops be unarmed or defunding the police,” he said. “Adams has a shot at winning. That’s why the other candidates are ganging up on him.”

Mungeer recalls Adams being helpful as state senator to help better arm troopers.

He referred to the case of career criminal criminal, Ralph “Bucky” Phillips, who escaped from an Erie County prison in 2006 and had been on the lam for months, leading to the largest manhunt in state history at the time.

Phillips used a .308-caliber rifle he stole from a gun store and shot and killed state police trooper Joseph Longobardo and wounded others.

Mungeer said the troopers were clearly outgunned by criminals because they could only use pistols while criminals were using high-powered rifles.

“Eric Adams was helpful in getting us the ammunition my people needed. He did help us at that time,” Mungeer said..

“When I needed help in the legislature, Eric Adams helped troopers. When I needed help he was there for me. If he needs help, I will be there for him.”

Mungeer’s unsolicited endorsement could be a double-edged sword for Adams, given the anti-cop sentiment with a segment of Democratic Party voters over policing tactics and cop misconduct.

Mungeer endorsed former President Donald Trump’s re-election after complaining that then Democratic rival Joe Biden had “turned his back on us” and that Democrats had swung too far to the left on criminal justice issues — leading in the direction of criminal defendants at the expense of cops and law-abiding citizens.

Adams had no immediate comment.