Concannon Launches Bid for Mark Weprin's Seat

Retired police captain Joe Concannon announced that he would run on the Reform line against Councilman Mark Weprin, D-Oakland Gardens, this fall.

Concannon, a Republican who ran in 2012 against state Sen. Tony Avella, D-Bayside, kicked off his campaign Thursday afternoon on the steps of City Hall, where he was joined by members of several police unions and fraternal groups.

The candidate, who could not immediately be reached for comment, in launching his campaign to counter Weprin’s support for the City Council’s Community Safety Act, which would reform the NYPD’s stop and frisk policy.

“The NYPD has the most effective crime fighting strategies in the nation,” Concannon said. “The success of the NYPD and their strategies are tied to the economic vitality of the city of New York. Yet Mark Weprin wants to handcuff and blindfold the NYPD and see 25 years of crime fighting success go down the tubes.”

Concannon worked 25 years for the city’s Police Department and acted as an advisor to former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

So far, he has picked up endorsements from the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, Captain’s Endowment Association and Lieutenant’s Benevolent Association.