Police Commissioner Bratton admits NYPD slowdown, declares it's over
After meeting with various borough commanders and bosses in transit and housing patrols Friday, Bratton says that police activity is picking up. He says he told them to encourage officers to 'get back to normal activity.'
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Friday, January 9, 2015, 11:42 PM
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JAMES KEIVOM/NEW YORK DAILY NEWSAfter meeting with various borough commanders and bosses in transit and housing patrols Friday, Police Commissioner Bratton says that police activity is picking up.
The city's top cop finally acknowledged an NYPD slowdown — but declared on Friday that it’s a thing of the past.
The number of summonses issued citywide dropped 94% for the week ending Dec. 29, records show. That trend continued with a 92% dip for the week ending Jan. 4. Arrests were down 66% during the last two weeks of 2014.
“I don’t know what the cause is,” Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said.
After meeting with various borough commanders and bosses in transit and housing patrols Friday, Bratton says that police activity is picking up. He says he told them to encourage officers to “get back to normal activity.”
“The slowdown is over in the sense that the numbers are starting to go back up again,” Bratton said.
The slowdown hasn’t had any impact on public safety. There have been 12 murders this year, compared with 14 at this time in 2014. The number of shootings was down from 25 to 21. Bratton said felony crimes were also down.
DEBBIE EGAN-CHIN/NEW YORK DAILY NEWSThe slowdown hasn’t had any impact on public safety. There have been 12 murders this year, compared with 14 at this time in 2014. The number of shootings was down from 25 to 21. Bratton said felony crimes were also down.
While Bratton says there’s no clear cause for the slowdown, sources told the Daily News that Patrick Lynch, the head of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, was behind it. The sources say he directed the slowdown as a salvo in his ongoing battle with Mayor de Blasio, who Lynch says doesn’t support police.
The News reported in Friday’s editions that Lynch recently told rank-and-file officers to return to issuing summonses and making low-level arrests. He told trustees to spread the word.
“He said they should go back to at least 50% of what they used to do,” a police source said.
No one has been disciplined because of the slowdown.
“My focus is on moving forward, a lot less concerned with looking back,” Bratton said.
ANDREW SCHWARTZ/FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWSWhile Bratton says there’s no clear cause for the slowdown, sources told the Daily News that Patrick Lynch (pictured), the head of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, was behind it.
Lynch, who couldn’t be reached Friday, has previously denied directing a reduction in police activity.
Roy Richter, president of the Captains Endowment Association, weighed in.
“Police officers never stopped their daily job of putting themselves in harm’s way protecting New Yorkers,” he said.
“This past month we experienced an unparalleled drain on our resources policing protesters gone wild and horrible tragedy in the assassination of our two brothers in blue. We have kept the city safe and will continue to do so.”
Meanwhile, Bratton responded on Friday to suggestions earlier this week that former President Bill Clinton or Gov. Cuomo intervene in the chasm between police unions and de Blasio.
DEBBIE EGAN-CHIN/NEW YORK DAILY NEWSThe sources say he directed the slowdown as a salvo in his ongoing battle with Mayor de Blasio, who Lynch says doesn’t support police.
“There is no need at this time for any intermediary, if you will,” he said.
He admitted he doesn’t know how the very public feud will play out.
“I haven’t the faintest idea,” he said. “All I’m concerned with is the officers going back to work. If they’re still mad at the mayor, if they’re still mad at me, if they’re still mad at whoever, as long as they’re back doing what they’re supposed to do, which is delivering public safety services, then that’s my principal concern.”
The mayor agreed, a spokesman saying de Blasio “is encouraged that the numbers are beginning to be corrected and that the NYPD expects arrests and summonses to return to normal levels very soon.”
The mayor thanked Bratton and said he will work to bring “police and community closer together.”
