That could help the city avoid a repeat of its embarrassing overreach in handling Republican National Convention protesters in 2000. The more than 400 arrests that stemmed from a crackdown on protesters under then-Police Commissioner John F. Timoney resulted mostly in acquittals - as well as legal claims of violated constitutional rights. One pair of protesters faced days in jail with bail set at $1 million. Timoney himself clashed with protesters while riding with a bike patrol, an incident that resulted in dozens of serious charges that were eventually thrown out.