Spotlight on Community Policing: NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton

William J. Bratton, a man dedicated to the principles of community policing will return to the New York City Police Department as its next police commissioner as announced on Thursday, December 5, 2013.

Commissioner Bratton has served law enforcement over 40 years including the top police post previously in New York City and also in Boston and Los Angeles.

During his introduction today, Commissioner Bratton stressed bringing the police and community together, I will work very hard and very quickly to bring legitimacy and trust between the citizens and the police department...

He also stated his goals as maintaining low crime rates, insuring the city remains safe from terrorism and bringing the NYPD and its 50,000 members and 8 1/2 million New Yorkers together with mutual trust and respect.

Bratton's additional concerns included the criticality of public safety as the foundation of democracy with an emphasis on safe streets, safe subways and traffic safety. But he emphasized that police will do it constitutionally, respectfully and with compassion.

Bratton held high a children's book titled Your Police which he has cherished since he was a nine-year-old boy. He shared the books final words, We must always remember that whenever you see a policeman he is your friend. He is there to protect you. He has dedicated his life to the preservation of the laws, properties, civil rights and people he serves. He would not hesitate to save your life at the cost of his own.

As a community policing practitioner and board certified crime prevention specialist, I appreciated Bratton's concluding thought from Sir Robert Peel who wrote long ago this first ethical mandate in the Nine Principles of Policing, the basic mission for which police exist is to prevent crime and disorder. The prevention of crime should be accomplished without intruding unnecessarily into the lives of citizens.

I first quoted Bratton in a blog written on May 8, 2007 when he was Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. He responded with honesty and wisdom to a violation of civil rights at an immigration rally by stating, I'm not going to defend the indefensible.

Post Script Click here to read Vincent's full length article titled Community Policing Spotlight: NYPD Commissioner William J. Bratton in The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine/January 2014 edition