TWO TOP COPS LEAVING NYPD WITH KELLY

INTEL & COUNTERERRORISM DEPUTYS OFFER RESIGNATIONS

NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly in his morning intelligence briefing in the Executive Command Center

 with Deputy Commissioner for Counterterrorism Richard Daddario, center,

and Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence David Cohen, left.  

(Photo: Lucas Jackson/Reuters)

TAGS:  NYPD RAY KELLY, DAVID COHEN, RICH DADDARIO RESIGNATIONS,

NYPD INTELLIGENCE DIVISION, COUNTERTERRORISM UNIT, PROTECTING NYC,

TERRORIST THREATS, de BLASIO & BILL BRATTON, PRIORITIES

(Thursday December 19, 2013, Barclay St., NYC)  Just days after outgoing NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly inked a lucrative contract with the Greater Talent Network to be a featured keynote speaker on the circuit two of his top Deputy Commissioners submitted their letters of resignation to the incoming NYPD Commish Bill Bratton.  While this is not an unusual rite of passage when a new administration is about to take control of the City, the two men leaving will be very difficult to replace for several reasons.  The vacancies their resignations will leave are in positions that had never before existed until Ray Kelly created them when he took command of the NYPD just three months after the terrorists’ attacks of September 11, 2001.  The question looms large now: how will Mayor – elect Bill de Blasio and Commissioner-in-waiting Bratton approach filling those vacancies and will they maintain the operational initiatives of two specialized Commands created by Commissioner Kelly. Mr. Bratton should also be on the lookout for more resignations in the near future.

Shortly after assuming command of the NYPD in January 2002, Ray Kelly realized that the events of 9-11-2001 required new and novel methods, strategies and tactics to address the real and present dangers posed to NYC in the form of the terrorist’s threat.  With the support of Mayor Bloomberg, Kelly revamped totally reinvented the Intelligence Division that had been, up to that time, concerned largely with gang activity, drug dealing and, in part “organized crime”.  Kelly’s vision became reality in the present incarnation of the Intelligence Division and the Counterterrorism Unit. He saw the glaring need to have his own intelligence gathering and Counterterrorism operations since it was painfully obvious that our federal government’s intelligence apparatus was not just dysfunctional but truly fatally flawed, negligent and not up to the task.

To direct his new Commands he wisely hired David Cohen a 35 year CIA veteran to head the Intelligence Division and named former federal prosecutor, Richard Daddario, to head up the Counterterrorism Unit.  The combined talents of these men and some of those personnel they brought with them to their new jobs literally wrote the first chapter in the new book of post 9-11-01 urban policing and police-based intelligence and Counterterrorism policies and practices.  Suffice to say, despite their often controversial methods, both of these Commands have been successful in collecting, analyzing and disseminating “real time” actionable intelligence and have interrupted at least 13 terrorist plots.  Much of the controversy surrounding the operations of the Intel and Counterterrorism squads have been leveled by Muslims and Islamic leaders living in New York City and in Jersey City just across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan.  The Muslim community felt they were being unfairly targeted and “racially profiled” because the 19 men believed to have perpetrated the 9-11-01 attacks were Muslim.

Contrary to the complaints of New York City’s Muslims, NYPD went through great efforts to assure their operations were within the legal boundaries of all applicable law.  Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Cohen hired another long time CIA veteran, Larry Sanchez, a former colleague that Cohen valued, respected and trusted.  Sanchez was officially “on loan” from the CIA as per then CIA Director George Tenet.  Sanchez remained an active CIA employee with access to all the intelligence and resources that came with such employment.  What these men and their personnel achieved is now considered as the “Gold Standard”, the template other “big city” Police Departments are trying hard to emulate.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

For every Member of Service (MOS) in the NYPD that will miss Ray Kelly there is an opposing MOS that is happy to see him go. The ratio between these camps is surely not one to one but it is difficult to determine what the majority opinion is. As in any highly structured hierarchical organization of this size, the 40,000 or so MOS have diverse and often conflicting opinions not only about who sits in the spacious 14^th floor office in One Police Plaza (1PP) but also who the others are occupying the upper echelon of the Department, Commands, Divisions, Units as well as each and every Precinct.  Cops, generally speaking, loathe politics, politicians and any and every public action taken by the highest ranking Brass is immediately scrutinized in an effort to discern what the “real” message is coming out of 1PP. When the rank and file believes and actually feels that the Big Brass has their backs then the entire Department functions more efficiently and effectively.  It is difficult to understate the importance of “morale” among the MOS.  When the rank and file begins to feel under siege by their own Department, the entire organization suffers as does the public they are tasked with protecting and serving. 

No one can deny Bill Bratton’s right to exercise his executive prerogative; naturally as any CEO in any organization, he needs to surround himself with like-minded, trusted advisers and counselors; people that can play “devil’s advocate” without fear of reprisal, speak truth to power even when doing so is difficult.  That is the only way it should be and it is even of more vital significance when we are discussing the largest, most professional law enforcement agency in the country in the largest, most diverse and densely populated City in America.  Naturally there were some MOS who reacted poorly, to say the least, when Bratton was named the next Commissioner by Bill de Blasio.  Bratton is no stranger to this City or the NYPD but, for all his history here he will forever be an ‘outsider” and, not just any outsider; Bratton is from Boston.  NYPD is a legacy agency, deeply rooted in its own history and traditions; they like to see one of their own rise up through the ranks.  But, the Mayor-elect has made his decision and that is that.

NO POLITICS, JUST OPERATIONS

There are those who view this particular discussion as inappropriately “political”.  We are of a contrary view.  These issues affect not just all MOS of NYPD but everyone who lives here, works here, travels through here and visits here.  How well the “Vital Services” of NYC (FDNY, the Department of Sanitation, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, and the Office of Emergency Management) just to name the most visible, function is as important to the City as is the heart to the human body.  Sound and strong leadership is essential to each Department and Agency to keep our City running smoothly. 

In the post 9-11 City there was much to change and much has been changed.  It is common knowledge that we, New York City, remain the most “target rich environment” in the eyes of terrorists around the world.  Just because we have not been successfully attacked since September 2001 certainly is no indication or proof that we are not still in the crosshairs of terrorists of every ilk from every corner of the earth.  The public will likely never learn precisely how effective Kelly, Cohen and Daddario have been individually in their respective positions as well as a tripartite collective working with all gears meshing quietly.

WHO’S WATCHING WHO…?

It would be naïve for anyone to think that we are not about to enter into a more vulnerable time.  The changing of the guard, the transition from the stability of 12 years of Bloomberg and Kelly into the new days of a novice Administration is no doubt being followed by some terrorist organization or cell or, perhaps, just a few zealots somewhere with designs on making their bloody mark on our City.  As we have all learned so painfully, so awfully vividly, we have been and remain a high value target. We can only hope that the new team about to assume control in a few weeks has the same priorities regarding our safety and security as did the outgoing Administration.

Let all of us hope that the torches that will pass from the Bloomberg Era to the de Blasio Administration are deftly handled and that real continuity and focus is upheld by all those now entrusted to govern and protect our City.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/19/nyregion/intelligence-and-counterterrorism-commissioners-leave-new-york-police-dept.html?ref=nyregion

http://nymag.com/news/features/nypd-demographics-unit-2013-9/

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/counterterrorism-officials-leaving-nypd-article-1.1552863

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/24/nypd-cia-terrorism_n_934923.html

http://www.newsweek.com/ray-kellys-nypd-battles-fbi-65189

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/16/ray-kelly-speaker-circuit-nypd_n_4455653.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/17/ray-kelly-muslim-award_n_4455537.html?utm_hp_ref=new-york

http://www.nypdintelligence.com/

http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/features/n_8286/

http://broodingcynyx.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-bill-and-bill-show.html

http://broodingcynyx.blogspot.com/2013/12/long-considered-front-runner-bratton.html

Copyright The Brooding Cynyx 2013 © All Rights Reserved

THE BILL AND BILL SHOW

De BLASIO TO GRACIE MANSION

BRATTON: WHO’S BEEN NAUGHTY OR NICE

Bill and Bill: All smiles during their honeymoon.

How long will it last?

TAGS: MAYOR-ELECT De BLASIO MOVING TO GRACIE MANSION, De BLASIO

TRANSITION TEAM, NAMES CLOSE ADVISERS AND ONE DEPUTY MAYOR

BRATTON WANTS RESUMES FROM NYPD UPPER ECHELON,

BRATTON CLEANING HOUSE?

(Wednesday December 11, 2013, Carl Schurz Park, NYC)  From the promenade here that runs from East 84^th Street up to E 90^th Street one is afforded a great view of the East River, both Randall’s and Wards Island, and the Triborough Bridge.  Nestled within this park is the 18^th century mansion that is the official residence of the Mayor of New York City, Gracie Mansion.  Not since Rudy Giuliani has this stately structure been occupied by a Mayor.  But that is about to change.  Earlier today Mayor-elect Bill De Blasio announced that he will be moving into the Mansion with his wife, son and daughter after his inauguration.  They will still retain their home in Park Slope Brooklyn but citing travel and security concerns the De Blasio’s have decided living in Gracie Mansion will be easier on all of them.  It may also prove to be a shrewd public relations coup having the biracial “First Family” of New York City seen hosting honored guests, family friends and giving tours to everyday New Yorker’s at The Mansion. 

But Bill De Blasio was not the only notable Bill to make an announcement this week.  Bill Bratton, the NYPD Commissioner-in-waiting sent a department wide message yesterday to all members of the upper echelon of the NYPD requesting they each submit an up to date copy of their resume’.  Bratton wants all members from the rank of Inspector and above, including highly placed civilian employees of the NYPD to do what essentially amounts to reapply for the positions they currently hold.  While it is certainly the newly appointed Commissioner’s prerogative to make personnel changes as he deems fit, his memo has been seen as a harbinger by some long serving members of NYPD that widespread changes are in the offing.  Many of the men and women currently in the upper echelon have worked for Bratton previously when he was Commissioner from 1994 until 1996 when he and Rudy Giuliani had a very public falling out and divorce.  Actually for many members of the “Top Brass” their career trajectories began under the previous Bratton regime.  But there are others who have candidly expressed the concern that Bratton may be looking to “settle some old scores”, or, “fill some very important posts with his own friends” as one high ranking NYPD official who will be among those polishing up his resume’ stated not for attribution.     

As reported in detail in today’s issue of The New York Daily News, “Bratton’s directive applies to those with the rank of inspector and above, including civilian deputy commissioners and directors, and climbs up to the highest echelons of the NYPD. Those include (Chief of Department Philip) Banks, Chief of Detectives Phil Pulaski, Chief of Internal Affairs Charles Campisi and First Deputy Commissioner Rafael Pineiro, who also interviewed for the top cop’s job.” (Link to full NYDN article below)

Lis Smith, spokeswomen for De Blasio noted that what Bratton is requesting now is simply his own standard operating procedure and a practice he has employed in virtually every other similar job he has held in the past.  Despite downplaying Bratton’s request as merely part of his management style, some who must submit their resumes’ perceive it in a more ominous manner.  Another highly placed NYPD Supervisor also speaking not for attribution said, “I can see where he’s (Bratton) coming from. I really do but, it is vital to the management and morale of the entire Department that he keeps a sense of continuity, that every Cop from top to bottom of this organization feels that things are not going to change drastically.  Bratton’s reputation precedes him and some of my colleagues are also concerned about maintaining stability among the ranks.  The last thing this Department needs is a big shake up.  If he is simply trying to get some people’s attention then I can tell you he has certainly succeeded”.

THE END OF THE HONEYMOON

Of more immediate concern to the hard working men and women of the NYPD is just when the honeymoon between Bill and Bill will come to an end and, make no mistake about it, their honeymoon will end.  Much of candidate De Blasio’s campaign rhetoric was extremely critical of the NYPD, Commissioner Ray Kelly and some of the practices and procedures of the Department most notably the “Stop, Question and Frisk” (SQF) policy.  Candidate De Blasio made the “dismantling” of SQF the centerpiece of his platform geared to “reforming” NYPD.  Bratton is a staunch believer in SQF,has implemented it aggressively while Chief of LAPD and has made no comments about “reforming” any of the existing policies, practices or procedures.  Candidate De Blasio was also a vocal proponent of increasing civilian review of the Department, an issue that every Member of Service (MOS) feels very strongly about because it directly impacts how they perform their job.  What may be missed in the months to come is the absence of a Mayor and a Police Commissioner who actually saw eye to eye on some of the most basic fundamental elements of policing our City.  Mayor Bloomberg, think what you will about him, was, at least, always publically behind Commissioner Kelly and the MOS knew that Kelly “had our backs”.  One cannot dismiss the significance of this as it applies to the men and women on patrol, conducting investigations, gathering intelligence and generally enforcing the law on our streets.

The harsh fact of the matter is that the men and women who police Our City often find themselves in critical scenarios where they must process a great deal of stimuli and information under extremely stressful circumstances and make decisions; decisions where life and death might hang in the balance.  If Officers are factoring in how a civilian review board will analyze their actions lethal and fatal mistakes will most certainly be made.  An Officer’s moment of hesitation or doubt may cost the life of a partner, another Officer or an innocent victim or bystander.   Candidate De Blasio’s blatant pandering to the segments of our population who feel most aggrieved and disenfranchised did nothing to promote the notion that relations between the residents of the neighborhoods we police and our Department could change for the better if honest and open exchanges were made. Now that candidate De Blasio is Mayor-elect he will soon be taken to task by those segments of our populace to whom he pledged allegiance and reform.  The new Mayor may find quickly that his campaign stump speeches do not comport with Bill Bratton’s policing philosophy.

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN

As Bill Bratton sits in his transition phase office and reviews all the resumes’ he’s requested he will encounter resumes’ of others who were in contention or, at least, considered for the post he is about to assume.  On the other side of City Hall De Blasio’s team may wonder why Bratton was selected while there are so many well qualified NYPD veterans in good standing who could have effectively taken over the reins of NYPD. The short list of those who were or should have been considered is impressive. Chief of Department Philip Banks and First Deputy Commissioner Rafael Pineiro as well as Chief of Detectives Phil Pulaski are all as well qualified if not more so as longtime NYPD veterans who rose up through the ranks than Bratton.  For better or worse, NYPD is an organization that respects history, legacy and promotion from within.  Some may criticize the “culture” of the NYPD; it has served the Department well since the First NYPD Commissioner, Theodore Roosevelt, consolidated an un-unified collection of Police Departments from what are now known as “The Outer Boroughs” into one organization proudly designated as the NYPD.

THE LIGHTS ON BROADWAY

For now the newest show in our town world renowned for its spectacular shows is the Bill & Bill Show.  While it is still in its premier weeks, it will remain to be seen how the audience – the citizens of Our City – respond to the plot line, characters and production.  For the most part this is a two man show, a drama that can turn comedic or tragic in on night.  The curtain will no doubt fall on this show night after night and, hopefully, it will rise again the next night with cast and crew firmly in place and performing as expected.  But, this particular show has a certain tinge of mystery to it; how will bill and Bill play out in reality when the stakes are higher than mere ratings. 

The citizens have spoken and delivered Bill De Blasio to Gracie Mansion and, in turn, De Blasio has recalled a star from the past to be his most visible cohort.  We, a discerning and picky audience will render opinions soon; very soon.  We will decide if Bill & Bill get a thumb up or thumb down.  We know a good show when we see it and we can easily recognize a cheap vaudevillian act from a standing ovation performance.  For the time being opening night is a few weeks away; the cast is in rehearsal.  But, once the New Year strikes and the curtain rises we will determine rapidly if the Bill & Bill Show is going to be a long running act or relegated to an off-Broadway death. 

SOME VERY INFORMATIVE LINKS:

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bratton-nypd-supervisors-resumes-article-1.1544100

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bill-bratton-article-1.1541241

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/bratton-back-beat-article-1.1540341

http://gothamist.com/2013/12/05/who_is_bill_bratton.php

http://observer.com/2013/12/editorial-de-blasio-goes-with-pros/

http://politicker.com/2013/12/whos-going-with-bill-de-blasio-to-city-hall/

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/12/nyregion/de-blasio-says-he-will-move-to-gracie-mansion.html

Copyright The Brooding Cynyx 2013 © All Rights Reserved

LONG CONSIDERED FRONT RUNNER BRATTON NAMED NEXT TOP COP

De BLASIO MAKES PREDICTABLE “SAFE” (?) CHOICE

Out with the old, in with the older.

TAGS: DeBLASIO CHOSES BRATTON FOR TOP COP, WILLIAM BRATTON LONG CAREER,

PREVIOUS TENURE AS NYPD COMMISH UNDER FIRST TERM GUILIANI ADMINISTRATION,

RANK & FILE OPINIONS VARY, THE LEGACY OF RAY KELLY

A BroodingCynyx Editorial

(Thursday December 5, 2013 One Police Plaza, NYC)  The announcement was predictably uninspired.  Since winning the election on November 6, 2013, our Mayor-elect seemed to have already made up his mind regarding the most important appointment to his administration.  Therefore it was with little fanfare or surprise when De Blasio had the newly appointed NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton at his side for a news conference. There are several odd story lines tangentially related to the return of Bill Bratton to One Police Plaza.  Much has changed since his first stint as the Commissioner from 1994 until 1996 when then Mayor Rudy Giuliani decided this town wasn’t big enough for both of their soaring egos.  But, before their personal relationship became one of acrimony, jealousy, and gamesmanship, our City became transformed thanks to several coexisting circumstances, trends, strategies, novel tactics and a shared desire to show results and, in no small measure, thanks to the hardworking, underpaid men and women of the NYPD.  The glory days of Giuliani and Bratton were remarkable for all they had managed to accomplish even as their relationship began to fray publicly.

Those of us who are native New Yorkers of a certain age knew what our City had devolved to by the time Giuliani was elected Mayor.  We lived with a legion of “quality of life” ailments, crime rates skyrocketing in all major categories, several high profile cases of overt police corruption, simmering racial tensions in the Outer Boroughs and a generalized uneasiness that spoke to New Yorker's sense that Our City was descending back into the darkest days of the late 1960’s and 1970’s. A huge homeless population seemed to be panhandling at every subway station, squeegee men were poised to pounce on cars stopped at red lights, large swathes of the City had taken on the personality of street thugs, lowlifes and the Bowery Boys; a place where anyone at any time could find themselves as easy prey.  The commercial tax base was diminishing as more and more corporations fled New York City for if not greener, at least safer pastures.

Perhaps the most telling proof of just how bad quality of life and crime had become in this bastion of liberalism was when a Republican,  Rudolf Giuliani defeated the incumbent democrat David Dinkins in the Mayoral race in 1994.  Giuliani, a successful and well know federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York was famous for the many Italian American “mobsters” and “white collar criminals” including Ivan Boesky who he tried and won convictions using the RICO Predicates.  Giuliani had high name recognition but he was a declared “Republican”.New York City Republicans are in no way shape or form anything like mainstream Republicans.  Giuliani's platform was not based on divisive “social issues” that the National Republican Party is always so adamant about.  No, Rudy Giuliani represented a new sheriff in town and he planned to set things right again. He was, after all, a “law and order” type guy, a product of Brooklyn with no nonsense approach to the machinery of municipal governance and the status quo in City Hall. Giuliani’s version of Republicanism was more in step with the conservative center-right faction of the Democratic Party.  But people were sick and tired of what their City, their neighborhoods had become and if it took electing a Republican to straighten out the mess then, so be it. 

With a fully empowered Bratton by his side, armed with tactics and strategies’ they’d learned from “The Broken Window Theory” and having adopted the computer software program developed by a dapper Deputy Commissioner for Crime Reduction Strategies’, the flamboyant man behind the “CompStat” program Jack Mapel, which tracked crime in real time and held officers at every command level accountable, our City began to show tangible progress on many fronts.  The Broken Window approach to community policing was to start focusing on and addressing the small transgressions, the simple violations that had long been ignored because there were always “bigger fish to fry” for the NYPD.  In 1992 the Homicide Rate tipped over 2000 and the new year of 1993 was not shaping up to be much better.  Between Giuliani and Bratton they were able to launch several proactive initiatives and, if the old order brass in the Commands and Precincts didn’t want to get along with the program, Giuliani told them to retire.Many did but more stayed on and bought into the Giuliani/Bratton policies primarily because they could actually see tangible results.

With aggressive crack downs on subway turnstile jumpers, aggressive panhandlers, homeless people obstructing doorways, subway stations and generally adding to the feeling of a City out of control, The Broken Window Theory was put to the test.  Suddenly a remarkable unforeseen bonus began to emerge.  It became quickly obvious that those who perpetrate the lowest level offenses are also those most likely to be those who also engage in much more serious violations.  Now, with two uniformed police Officers in virtually every station they would stop a person who’d just jumped over a turnstile, ask him or her to produce some form of identification and quite often the Police Officers were notified that they had just apprehended a person who had, perhaps, jumped bail, was wanting on a warrant or as a suspect in a more serious crime.  Suddenly, and in the least confrontational way, Police Officers were reducing the number of criminals on the street.  It has long been accepted in the Law Enforcement Community (LEC) that only 10% of a given population commit 100% of the crime.  If it becomes possible to reduce the 10% faction of a population, crimes across the board – in all categories – will occur with less frequency.  Add to this mix the CompStat protocols that actually deploy resources to very specific high crime sectors, blocks, housing projects or even a certain street corner, and the 10% of bad guys was diminishing with unanticipated regularity. The Cops and the courts were finally putting the bad guys away.

A TOWN TOO SMALL FOR TWO

The story of the short lived honeymoon between Giuliani and Bratton has been exhaustively analyzed, documented and chronicled.  Much to the chagrin of the Crime Fighting Mayor his hand-picked Police Commissioner had begun to be the most visible single identity associated with the great, if almost miraculous “clean up” of the formerly gritty dangerous place that New York City had become.  When Bratton made the front page of “TIME” magazine eclipsing his boss as the tough guy in charge, that was just more than Giuliani and his own outsized ego could abide. Bratton resigned and moved on to several other high profile positions in the LEC, most notably as the Chief of the LAPD and in the more lucrative private sector.  Never again would Giuliani appoint a man of such high prominence, media savvy and street smarts to that position again.

BLOOMBERG AND KELLY

As Giuliani’s hand-picked successor the media billionaire Michael Bloomberg handily won the Mayor’s race in 2001.  He chose a solid pick for the slot of “Top Cop”, a longtime NYPD veteran Ray Kelly.  Not only did this duo keep virtually all the Giuliani-era policing tactics in place, they expanded many.  They were also the first to face the challenge of policing in a City that had sustained the worst terrorist attack in our country’s history and that fact alone required the development of new initiatives to be implemented, initiatives that no other American city had ever before had to enact.  Bloomberg brought his business acumen and managerial style to City Hall and staunchly supported his Police Commissioner.  Kelly, for his part, can be credited for creating the NYPD Intelligence Unit under the direction of former CIA Officer David Cohen.  Kelly also instituted a wide range of policies and practices in counter terrorism and what critics saw as “racial profiling” of members of the Islamic community throughout New York City.

To be certain Kelly had his share of vigorous supporters and backers just as he had equally vocal detractors and enemies.  Given the complexity of policing the largest city in America in the new “post- 9 11 world” Kelly’s efforts were early on in his tenure widely embraced by most New Yorkers.  As the memories of September 11, 2001 diminished in some New Yorker’s minds many took to castigating Kelly and what they labeled his “unconstitutional policies”.  Despite the growing chorus of detractors Commissioner Kelly never lost the unflinching support of Mayor Bloomberg and did in fact remain very popular with the public.

As the years of increasing prosperity, an expanding commercial tax base, gentrification and tourism went by the “new” New York City originally outlined by Giuliani has largely become reality under the tenure of Bloomberg.  Yes, pockets of crime, poverty, poor schools, drug abuse and all the social ailments of a large urban city are still in evidence but, for the most part, they are far smaller and less dangerous than they’d once been.  One of the issues that has dogged Bloomberg and Kelly over the last year is the controversy surrounding the Police policy that has been called “Stop and Frisk”.  This has been an emotionally and racially charged topic that has made its way to the federal court in New York.

De BLASIO, BRATTON: STOP & FRISK

The actual practice is designated “Stop, Question and Frisk” but for the activists and detractors calling it “Stop and Frisk” is more in their favor as they try to undermine it as a viable approach to urban policing especially in high crime areas.  We won’t get into the facts and figures here’ both sides of the debate have more than enough numbers and statistics to validate their claims.  The fact of the matter is that this policy, coupled with other innovative patrol practices, has reduced the crime rates in our City to 52 year lows.  For those New Yorkers counting the days until their “liberal progressive” savior, Bill De Blasio takes the oath of office they may do well to consider that the genesis of the “Stop, Question and Frisk” policy was drafted by then NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton.  Mayor-elect De Blasio has placed himself in the position of a hypocrite regarding his views of Stop, Question and Frisk since his own chosen NYPD Commish believes in it and implemented it with a vengeance while Chief of LAPD.

Bratton will return to a City parts of which he may not recognize.  Clearly he will need to get immersion education in the workings of the Intelligence and related Units.  Our City has grown up, matured and been changes since 1996 and Bratton may find that some of his points of reference, his internal compass might be more than just a bit uncalibrated.  It remains to be seen how Mayor De Blasio will interact with his police commissioner given the fact that De Blasio was an ardent opponent of Stop, Question and Frisk as a mayoral candidate.  His stump speeches delivered to largely African American and Latino groups in the outer boroughs where often nothing more than rants against the NYPD, Ray Kelly and Stop, Question and Frisk.  He has a scant three weeks to work out the details with Bratton because in our City unforeseen events occur daily and the new Mayor and new Commissioner may find themselves at odds in short order.

WHO WORKS FOR WHO

Arguably there are no other NYC civil servants who feel a direct connection to their most senior Commander, the NYPD Commissioner, than the men and women of that agency.   NYPD is by its very nature a quasi-military organization with a strict chain of command and hierarchical structure.  Cops in NYPD look to the Commissioner very carefully in an effort to ascertain where he will come down on a certain issue once the shit hits the fan and the Department comes under harsh scrutiny.  In his last tour of duty as Commissioner, Bratton was generally well regarded by the rank and file and most members of Service (MOS) had no beefs with him.  Some of his smaller initiatives may not have been seen by the public as necessary but were viewed by Cops as important moves.  The simple act of doing away with the old NYPD uniform, the powder blue blouse and navy slacks sent Cops a message that Bratton thought a somewhat “tougher” appearance was important.  The all dark midnight blue now worn is part of Bratton’s legacy and it was a change widely embraced by the Force. 

Bratton abolished the divisional divides then present in the NYPD, divides that caused dissention, animus and petty jealousy among some of the ranks.  He united the NYPD, the NYPD Housing Police and the NYPD Transit Police creating a uniformed single force, NYPD that rose to over 38,000 strong by 2001 long after his departure.  But so much has changed since Bratton was squeezed out of One Police Plaza.  The changes in the City as a whole are represented in NYPD as microcosm; the Department has made great efforts to diversify and to operate under the motto of “C P R “, meaning “Courtesy, Professionalism and Respect”.  This credo was certainly central to Commissioner Kelly’s approach to his job and all who served under him.  Most Cops feel that they work for the Commissioner.  Perhaps because that post had historically been held by “one of our own”, a street Cop who rose up through the ranks to the highest levels of Command and Control there was a sense of the Commissioner “being one of us”.  Those few men who were appointed by various Mayors who were not from NYPD, men who were absolute outsiders like David Dinkins ill-fated selection of Dr. Lee “Dowtown” Brown from Houston Texas, failed miserably and were constantly at odds with the ank and file.  There was simply no respect given to a man appointed to lead NYPD who was grossly unfamiliar not only with the Department itself but also with our sprawling complex City.

After the Giuliani – Bratton split the Mayor appointed a series of lackluster “yesmen” to the post of Commissioner and by the time Rudy Giuliani was named “America’s Mayor” and TIME Magazine “Man of the Year” his Commissioner, an old crony from Giuliani’s days as a federal prosecutor, Bernard Kerik was desperately trying to avoid indictment on a number of charges.  (Kerik was tried, convicted and released from prison last month after three years in a federal penitentiary.)  It is doubtful that De Blasio will find any “yesman” qualities in Bratton but Bratton himself has gone through changes just as has our City.  His tenure with the perpetually troubled LAPD was not all rosy yet he did manage to tame that unruly organization and since leaving that post has made a very comfortable living as a “consultant”.  Some have speculated why Bratton would take the job De Blasio offered when it appears they have some serious differences not only in policing practices and policies but also in politics and personality.

Teenage girls armed with cellphones, iPads and all manner of social networking have nothing on Cops when it comes to the spread of rumor, gossip, innuendo and speculation.  No sooner did De Blasio publically announce that Bill Bratton was his man to lead the NYPD, than it was the talk  in every sector of every precinct, every Cop diner, Cop bar and other gathering places for Cops on and off duty.  Reactions were decidedly mixed to say the least.  MOS who recall working under Bratton in the 1990’s had the most to say about him.  The consensus was that he was well “regarded” but not necessarily well “respected”.  Most conversations centered on the disappointment that de Blasio had not chosen from among the current ranks to fill that job.  “There are a number of very well respected, experienced men, and I don’t mean guys from School Safety or Public Relations Commands who should have been in the running.  Seemed like De Blasio knew he was going to pick Bratton from the day after the election.  Me personally, I would like to have seen the return of John Timoney if he wanted an “outsider”.  But, what are you going to do.  The Mayor picks his guy and that’s that”, commented a 27 year veteran NYPD Detective who spoke on the condition of anonymity.  Others echoed his sentiments.

Time will tell if Bill Bratton can be an effective Police Commissioner in the New York City of today.  And, given the dynamics of our City that time may come much quicker than either De Blasio or Bratton wants.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/06/nyregion/william-bratton-new-york-city-police-commissioner.html?hp

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/06/nyregion/william-bratton-new-york-city-police-commissioner.html?hpw&rref=nyregion

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/william-bratton-named-nypd-commissioner-article-1.1538251

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/pols-agencies-react-de-blasio-police-chief-pick-article-1.1538563

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/05/bill-bratton-nypd-commissioner-_n_4391422.html?utm_source=concierge&utm_medium=onsite&utm_campaign=sailthru%2Bslider%2B

http://politicker.com/2013/12/de-blasio-says-no-contradiction-in-picking-progressive-visionary-bratton/

http://politicker.com/2013/11/bloomberg-defends-ray-kellys-legacy-after-playboy-interview/

http://www.slate.com/blogs/crime/2013/12/05/william_bratton_nypd_why_rudy_giuliani_s_police_commissioner_is_the_wrong.html?wpisrc=burger_bar

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/12/05/bratton-to-lead-nypd-for-second-time-sources-say/

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/campaign-officials-bratton-lead-nypd-21108986

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/william-bratton-named-nypd-commissioner-article-1.1538251

http://swampland.time.com/2013/12/05/brattons-return-buckle-up-de-blasio/

http://www.ny1.com/content/politics/ny1_political_itch/199827/ny1-itch--what-bill-bratton-means-for-bill-de-blasio

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