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NEW YORK (AP) _ New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (dih BLAH’-zee-oh) has given a solemn eulogy at an officer’s funeral as thousands of police watching the service from outside turned their backs in a sign of disrespect toward the city’s leader.

The officers’ actions at Wenjian Liu’s (WEHN’-jihn looz) funeral Sunday came after Police Commissioner William Bratton sent a memo to all commands urging respect, declaring “a hero’s funeral is about grieving, not grievance.”

Liu was killed along with partner Officer Rafael Ramos on Dec. 20. Their killer committed suicide.

The deaths strained an already tense relationship between city police unions and the mayor, who union leaders said contributed to an anti-police environment that allowed the killings.

Last weekend, hundreds of officers outside Ramos’ funeral turned their backs toward a giant TV screen as de Blasio’s remarks were being broadcast.

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