Bratton said he’s leaving the post “with great reluctance” in September to accept an undisclosed offer in the private sector, AP reports.
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Crime has remained at or near historic lows under Bratton’s latest tenure atop New York’s police force, but he made his name during a previous stint as commissioner in the 1990s under Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton – the most prominent law enforcement officer in the U.S. – will step down in September.
Bratton is also stepping down amid an ongoing federal corruption investigation involving high-ranking officers and City Hall demonstrations in which participants this week called for greater police accountability and Bratton’s firing.
Bratton wasn’t forced out.
“What that began in this city was the reality that our officers were at increased risk in a way that had not been felt for” decades, Bratton said.
“The revolutionary period we find ourselves in right now…is once again [involving] race”, he said. “And he and I have developed an intense bond over these last 31 months”. “I’ll miss seeing you everyday, and I want to thank you for all the tremendous accomplishments”.
Crime numbers have declined steadily under Bratton.
Neither Bratton nor de Blasio would reveal the private-sector opportunity that Bratton has chose to embark upon, but alluded to it throughout the press conference.
He has promoted “neighborhood policing” As chief of department, O’Neill advocated for “neighborhood policing”, encouraging officers to build relationships with the residents in their communities.
Tucker relayed his conversation yesterday with O’Neill, when told about Bratton’s resignation.
O’Neill, who grew up in East Flatbush, said he learned how to “talk to every type of person imaginable”. “So it’s the right time”.
Housing Chief Carlos Gomez will succeed O’Neill as Chief of Department.
A federal judge ruled that the tactic was an unconstitutional form of racial profiling in 2013, just months before de Blasio and Bratton took office. He started his police career at the Boston Police Department as an officer in 1970 and climbed the ranks to commissioner, a position he held from 1992 to 1993. Despite the recent legal troubles, Bratton repeatedly claimed they had nothing to do with his resignation.
“Jimmy is one of the best prepared incoming police commissioners this city has ever seen”, de Blasio said, noting that O’Neill was the architect of the city’s community policing program. Bratton and those in the know worked to keep the move under wraps until he could officially announce on Tuesday morning. CompStat 2.0, unveiled earlier this year, is available on the smartphone each police officer carries to refer to immediately.
“I wish I had words for what this man has achieved”, de Blasio said, placing his hand on Bratton’s shoulder as he introduced him. “That’s the vision and that’s the passion that I’ve had for 45 years”.
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In New York City in 2015, 83% of those stopped and frisked on the street were black and Latino (up from 80% in 2014), as were 88% of those arrested for marijuana possession and over 85% of those arrested for misdemeanors overall.
