Mr O’Neill has been heavily involved in the city’s plans to shift towards that strategy, and Mr de Blasio said neighbourhood policing would be in place in 51 precincts as of this autumn. He said it’s just the “right time” for him and his wife.
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Bratton was appointed NY police chief in December 2013 for a second time, tasked by de Blasio with keeping crime at historic lows but also repairing frayed relations with ethnic minorities.
Bratton is reportedly planning to stay on until September, and will be replaced, at least temporarily, by Chief of Department James O’Neill.
Nor did he hesitate to publicly disagree with the mayor when necessary – a clear sign he could be fully frank in private, too.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Bratton’s exit in a press conference at City Hall Tuesday.
City Councilman Vincent J. Gentile (Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, Dyker Heights): “It is with sadness that I learn of Commissioner Bratton’s departure from the NYPD”.
Bratton’s resignation comes a day after Quinnipiac University released a poll finding New Yorkers are sharply divided on how the city is handling crime, but more than half of respondents approving of how Bratton was handling his job.
He began his NYPD career 33 years ago as a transit officer. We expect him to learn from his success with Bratton, back his new commissioner to the hilt – and let him do his job. “In each and every one of them I’ve gone to, people tell us ‘we want policing that’s something that’s not done to us, but done with us.’ And now this is what’s happening and it seems to be working”.
“I will work very hard and will move very quickly to getting once again, legitimacy and trust between the citizens of this city who feel that they don’t have it between them and this police department”, Bratton said. His most recent positions were chief of patrol, in which he led a whole bureau of officers, and chief of department, which is the highest-ranking uniformed officer.
In announcing O’Neill’s selection, Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio said he would be tasked with expanding a “neighborhood policing plan” the department first unveiled past year amid tensions stirred by the police chokehold death of Eric Garner and the subsequent ambush slaying of two NYPD officers by a suicidal gunman out for revenge. Bratton’s policing policies have greatly impacted the quality of life in Boston, Los Angeles and here in NY.
Millions March NYC, an offshoot of the Black Lives Matter movement, called for the ouster of Bratton and an end to broken windows policing – a controversial strategy pioneered by Bratton to crack down on petty crime and maintain law and order.
“Fortunately, I have gotten to know Chief O’Neill over the years, and so to know that he will become the new Police Commissioner is good and reassuring news”. “A lot of folks in our community know O’Neill and have lot of confidence in him”, said one real estate source.
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Bratton resigned in 1996 after his relationship with Giuliani grew strained over who deserved more credit for the drop in crime.
