Bill Bratton, Former NYPD Commissioner Interview

Bill Bratton joins Mendte in the Morning to talk about the news of Jessica Tisch staying on as NYPD Commissioner under Zohran Mamdani. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, just minutes after we talk with former police Commissioner
Bill Bratton about Jessica Tish possibly staying on as police commissioner,
she announced she's staying on, and the former police Commissioner,
Bill Bratton was kind enough to make himself available again
to react, So, without any further Ado Commissioner, first of all,

(00:20):
thank you, and what is your reaction?

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Well, I think, like motion ne yorkas, relief that a
decision has been made and relieves that this is the
decision that she obviously has had several meetings, according to
the news report, with the mayor elect, and they have
come to find common ground. As we talked about in
an earlier interview. It'll be interesting as to what that
common ground is common cause and certainly the members of

(00:47):
the police department, the unions will be very happy. I
think the majority of the public, majority of you in
the medium. Those that might not be so happy, a
lot of the male lex supporters who were are opposed
to her. But again, I think he's looking out for
the best interests over all of the city and it's
its many residents.

Speaker 1 (01:07):
You know Jessica Tash very well. Do you believe that
she drew a red line and said, I can't do this.
I can't give on this. I can't give on this.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
I would have to assume that there were negotiations and
that there was some coming together in the sense of
her concerns, his priorities. I have counseled that I would
hope that the Mayor elect has got a lot of
things on his plate. Leave her to along the police department.
She's been doing a great job. Crime is down to
sort of is down. There were three new threats that

(01:38):
are emerging very rapidly, AI dr own concerns around major events,
and immigration. Mister Trump has been talking about bringing his
immigration forces to New York. So I think the mayor
probably figured that this was not the time to change
horses in midstream. Go with somebody that's proven that she

(01:59):
go on the apartment and Jesse is as symbol of
a great team, and it's given more leeway to get
rid of some of the Adams holdovers and bring on
some of the challenge that she'd like to bring on.
It could be a very good few months ahead.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Yeah, I think it's a very good thing for New York.
And I know you have to be careful of what
you say, but I believe that they are so far
apart on policing that she would have only stayed if
she was promised that she could run the department and
keep certain things in place.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
And she was able to deal with mister Adams with
his constant intrusions into the department. So she's used to
a mayor that has been very engaged with the police department.
This new mayor elect may be less engaged. He has
no law enforcement background, unlike mister Adamson. Effectively, he might

(02:51):
actually leave her alone more than mister Adams did, so
that would everybody.

Speaker 1 (02:57):
Although he does seem to be obsessed with the police
department a bad.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
Way, well in some respects, but he's got a lot
of other priorities. His free buses and rent control issues,
the education issues is budget deficits. So that's what I'm
saying that leave her at her und the department for
a while while he sorts out some of his other priorities.
There'll be time to work in some of his other issues,
even his community affairs office that he wants to create.

(03:22):
That's the creation of a whole new bureaucracy. It doesn't
happen overnight, takes time, takes legislative authority in the City Council,
et cet. So, No, he's got a pretty full plate.
Jesse has proven that she can handle her plate and
handle it very well. So as much as I think
of her, and I think a lot off her, this

(03:44):
is good news from my perspective.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
Oh, I understand you're going to meet with her a
little bit later today. Please pass home.

Speaker 2 (03:50):
She is scheduled to be at an event. Does you
have a center lated state that I'm attending that the
ads IS conference, which is a conference of basically private security.
But my successor, Jimmy O'Neill is the Kenot speaker, and
I believe Jesse was slated to attend that hopefully she'll
be there. That it's usually a very good event.

Speaker 1 (04:10):
Yeah, but please pass along with a big sigh of
relief from the city and from us and our listeners.
And it's wonderful news. Thank you so much for jumping
back on former police Commissioner Bill Bretton. Yeah, I really
appreciate it. Thank you, sir. All the best