Transcript: Mayor de Blasio, Commissioner O'Neill Deliver Remarks at NYPD Graduation Ceremony

December 28, 2016

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Good morning, everyone – and a very Happy New Year to everyone.

Graduates, it is my distinct honor to be the first to say to you – congratulations, officers – job well done.

[Applause]

You have worked very, very hard for this moment and you have earned what you have achieved. It is not easy to go through all that it takes to prepare yourself to become a New York City Police Officer. It is for the strong and the resolute, but you have succeeded in this long journey, this rigorous training to be here today at this moment of triumph.

And I want to take a moment to thank all of your family members because they stood by you every step of the way and they made it possible too. Family – congratulations to all of you.

[Applause]

Now, officers, you represent something very, very important to this city – not just your commitment to keeping people safe, to maintaining law and order, but, on top of that, you represent a new effort by this city to strengthen safety for all. You represent the growth of this police department. We now with this class are completing the process of adding 2,000 more officers on the beat in this city than what we had just a few years ago. The biggest increase this department has seen in patrol strength since 2001.

And we are proud of you and we thank you for being part of that new wave.

[Applause]

This is important for so many reasons. It’s important because of the progress we have made in keeping our streets safe and the fact that we have to deepen that progress. It’s important because we know we face the threat of terror every single day and we need the best police force in the country ready to meet that challenge.

It’s also important because we have embarked on a strategy to change and improve and deepen the relationship between our police and our communities. Neighborhood policing, which was engineered by our great Police Commissioner, Jimmy O’Neill – this is the way forward, a deep and close bond between police and community, and you are that new wave who will bring this vision to life.

And I have to take this moment to say, I want to express my appreciation, my gratitude, my sense of admiration for our Police Commissioner. I want you to think about him because he sat exactly where you are sitting today 33-34 years ago. Jimmy O’Neill came up through the ranks starting as a patrol officer, rising up to the highest uniformed rank of this department, and now to Commissioner. Let that be an example to all of you that through hard work and commitment and focus, any member of this class could one day end up running this extraordinary agency. Let’s give our Commissioner, Jimmy O’Neill, a big round of applause.

[Applause]

And while I’m at it, I want to thank our great Chief of Department, Carlos Gomez, and all the other members of the NYPD leadership present here today – congratulations on an extraordinary year to all of you.

[Applause]

I also want to thank the elected officials and labor leaders who are here with us and welcome them – Pat Lynch, President of the PBA; State Senator Martin Golden; Council member Vanessa Gibson, the Chair of the Public Safety Committee in the City Council; and District Attorneys Cy Vance and Dick Brown. We welcome you.

Now, I have to tell you, graduates, you’re an impressive class by any measure. We can all say with assurance you are the best trained class in the history of the NYPD because the training efforts continue to improve every single year.

You’re going to be working with the best technology of any group of graduates in the history of the NYPD.

You look like New York City. You come from every neighborhood, every background. You reflect the greatness of our city.

And I want to give a special thanks to 51 of you. There are 51 members of this class and we doubly honor them and appreciate them – 51 members of this class who previously served in our armed forces. Let’s thank them all.

[Applause]

I also want to note that this class represents New York City in another very important way because, fully, 62 percent of the member of this class live in the five boroughs now. And I want to tell you how reassuring that is to the people of the neighborhoods you live in.

[Applause]

There are amazing stories in this class, amazing stories of commitment and sacrifice and single-minded devotion to getting to this day. But I want to single out just one because his family’s story is so powerful – Officer Joseph Vigiano Jr. His father, Detective Joseph Vigiano Sr. died on 9/11 serving in our Emergency Services Unit. And that same day, Joseph lost his uncle, John Vigiano Jr., a firefighter with Ladder 132 from Brooklyn.

Well, Joseph, I want to say to you, there are many people, today, following great family traditions. But, I tell you, you are honoring the memory of your father and your uncle by making this choice to serve in the NYPD. And I want to salute you on behalf of all New Yorkers.

[Applause]

Now, officers, I often tell new members of the NYPD that you are joining a winning team. It’s very important to think about what that means. You’re joining a team that for almost a quarter-century has time and time again proven the critics wrong. When Bill Bratton and Jack Maple initiated CompStat in the early 1990s, I guarantee you there were many that said that change could come, that we couldn’t make our city safe. In those days, in the early 90s, as many as 2,200 murders a year, as many as 5,000 shootings a year in our city. And along came leaders who said we could turn the tide, we could change things. And they were derided, they were underestimated, and yet steadily the change was engineered, was created, it was envisioned, and put into action.

And now almost 25 years later, you join a winning team that has proven there’s no record that can’t be broken by the NYPD. It’s extraordinary. Every time you hear critics say there’s no way to get any safer, there’s no way for this team to do any better, the NYPD proves them wrong.

And that’s something to be very, very proud of – joining a team with that kind of tradition. But now, it’s your responsibility to build on that tradition.

Let me give you one example that I think will inspire you. And I mentioned that back in 1992 5,000 shootings a year. Today, in the City of New York as we end the year 2016, there have been fewer than 1,000 shootings all year in New York City thanks to the NYPD.

[Applause]

At the same time, the NYPD improves, every day, its relationship with the communities it serves. The deepening of those bonds is helping to make our officers safer and our neighborhoods safer at the same time. That is the brilliance of neighborhood policing.

Neighborhood policing, precision policing, the additional officers – all these pieces come together to help this winning team go even farther.

I want to say to all the family members, particularly to the mothers and fathers of today’s graduates – everyone up here on this dais has an obligation to every one of you. Our job is to keep these good, young men and women and safe. And we think of that as a sacred responsibility. And we make sure that the tools are there – the best equipment, the best training, the best vests and protective gear. We want to make sure everyone comes home at night after serving this city so well.

And I know that Commissioner O’Neill and Chief Gomez and all the leadership feel this responsibility every single day. And we’re going to keep making the investments we need to keep our officers safe.

And in building that bond between police and community, I guarantee you that’s one of the best ways to keep our officers safe because now, more and more in this great city thanks to the plan created by Commissioner O’Neill, residents of communities are helping our officers to stay safe by giving them the information they need, by giving the tips on where an illegal gun may be, or where someone may be who’s being searched for on a warrant.

Our community members can and must be the best allies our officers have ever had and that’s part of how we make everyone safe. This is a great day for New York City. It’s a day of renewal. It’s a day of hope. And all of you graduates, you make us very proud, you make us hopeful about the future of this great city.

God bless you all and a very, very Happy New Year to all.

[Applause]

Lieutenant Tony Giorgio, NYPD: And thank you so much, Mr. Mayor.

It’s indeed my pride and pleasure to introduce the Police Commissioner of the City of New York, the Honorable James P. O’Neill.

[Applause]

Commissioner James P. O’Neill: Good morning, everyone. We’re going to practice here. The guys in blue, the girls in blue – good morning, how are you?

Graduates: Good morning, sir.

Commissioner O’Neill: Alright. A little lighter when you get out on patrol, a little friendlier. Alright.

[Laughter]

This is the key to being a good cop – just saying hello to people, letting them know that you’re a human being also, and you care about what they care about. So, don’t ever forget that. You can’t see the people on the right and the left because it’s too dark so, I’m going to be talking to you right in front of me.

Good morning, welcome. Let me offer my congratulations to each and every one of our graduates. This is one of the most exciting days of lives. You deserve all the praise and recognition for the hard work that you’ve put in over the last six months. It seems like just yesterday that we swore you in over at the Academy. But I’m sure to you it seems a lot longer than six months.

Today, you’ve been sworn in as a New York City Police Officer. Let that sink in. You took the oath this morning. Let that sink in. You are now New York City cops. You are now members of the largest and most respected police department in our nation, arguable the most diverse and certainly the best trained.

It’s my honor to welcome you into the NYPD. The men and women sitting beside you today, along with 36,000 others across all of our commands and bureaus, will be working hand in hand with you as you begin your new careers.

You’ve worked hard to get here. Alright, I’m just talking to the police officers in front of me, so, families, if you can just close your ears for a second.

[Laughter]

If you have any friends that don’t make good decisions, lose them. I know it’s tough to do that with relatives, but if you have any relatives that don’t make good decisions, lose them.

[Laughter]

You’ve worked very hard over the last six months and you’ve worked very hard over the last couple of years to get these jobs. Make good decisions. I want to see you do your best. I want to you see you standing up where I’m standing – maybe a little shorter than 34 years from now but at one point some of you, somebody in this audience might be doing this job. And you have to do that by making good decisions and respecting the people that you work with and respecting the people that you’re sworn to protect and serve.

Right now, I feel this is the best and most exciting time to be a police officer. The NYPD’s Neighborhood Policing program has redefined what it means to patrol our great city. It has revolutionized how we interact with the public that we serve. And we have given back to police officers the ability to make real decision, to be independent thinkers who are truly getting to know the individuals who live and work in all our neighborhoods.

When you leave this building today, you’ll be tasked with coming up with certain – with creative ways to help people in all of our communities. All this is with an eye toward keeping people safe and continuing our downward crime trend.

Never forget – you are the police. Our job is to keep people safe. Our job is to fight crime.

I’ve got a great position, here, as Police Commissioner thanks to you, Mr. Mayor – perhaps the best in all of law enforcement. But I’m still a little jealous of all of you – maybe a little bit more than a little jealous of you. You’re well trained, well motivated young police officers who are about to go out there and make a difference in people’s lives. That’s why you took this job after all. That’s why we all take this job, to make a difference, and you will and you’ll help the NYPD and this great city move forward.

Over the past three years, we’ve worked hard to get you the best safety equipment, have placed the most up to date technology in the palms of your hands.

Now, while you’re meeting and forming lasting relationships with those who make up our communities – residences, business owners, and school kids just to name a few – you’ll still be making arrests and writing summonses when enforcement action needs to be taken.

Always remember that you’re the police.

Ultimately, how you’re perceived and evaluated by the Department and by all New Yorkers is up to you. Your character and your professionalism and how you’ll handle the challenges you face on the streets, on housing developments, and down in the subway system are what count.

Will you think on your feet? Will you be a problem solver? Will you gather information that helps us close serious crime cases?

And there’s something else. As a result of your efforts,  some crimes will never even occur in the first place. These things are hard to track but you’ll know when you’re doing good work. You’ll feel it. After a while, if you work hard, you might be assigned to a steady sector and it’ll be just you and your partner who are responsible for a small segment of this great city.

You’ll work closely with our Neighborhood Coordination Officers and our community partners but ultimately, the people who live, work, and travel there rely on you for answers. And your success as a cop and your safety as members of the public will be deeply intertwined. This is an awesome responsibility. I know that. We all know that. We’ve all been there.

We’re asking a lot of you but we know you’re up to the task. And if you thought your training was done as of today, understand that today is just the beginning. You’ll spend the next six months, the same amount of time you’re in the Academy, in field training applying what you’ve just learned.

There’ll be must more training throughout your career to keep your skills honed – new things and refresher courses and exciting new technology and techniques.

The key is to never stop learning.

While being an independent thinker also make sure you learn from the more experienced cops around you. Learn from you bosses and learn from your mistakes. Become the best cops you can be.

Help us continue to be known as the greatest police department in this country with the finest police officers anywhere. Remember the way you feel right now, right this very second – the feeling of excitement and optimism and the sense of duty, to make sure you carry that with you every single day.

Don’t worry, you won’t be doing this alone. You’ll have this family – your NYPD family – every step of the way.

For an example of how NYPD is like a family, don’t look any further than one of your fellow graduates that the Mayor spoke about – Police Officer Joe Vigiano. I know you’re already serving your father’s memory well, Joe, and I know you’ll continue to do great things throughout your career.

There’s also Police Officer Elwin Martinez – an exceptional young man who showed incredible courage under fire in the 4-3. When Paul Tuozzolo was murdered by an armed suspect in the Bronx, Officer Martinez, who was in the midst of his field training, immediately fired back at the suspect, killing him, and in doing so likely saved other officers who were directly in harm’s way.

Thank you, Elwin. Let’s give him a round of applause.

[Applause]

You know this graduating class has people from all walks of life – sharp minds who speak more than 40 languages and who hail from as many different countries. We have former school teachers, service workers, a park ranger, emergency dispatchers, a Marine Corp vet who earned a purple heart, and cops from other jurisdictions and states.

Police Officer Terry-Ann Ferguson is one. Born in Trinidad –

[Cheering]

C’mon, you’re from Trinidad, you can be louder than that.

[Cheering]

She and her five brothers and sisters were raised there and in St. Lucia where her father was a police officer until the family moved to Brooklyn. She said she always wanted to be an NYPD cop and longed for the day she could sit in this very building wearing her uniform. Terry-Ann first served as an NYPD Traffic Enforcement Agent and while waiting for the call to be hired as a police officer here, she joined the Charleston Police Department in South Carolina in 2008. A year later, she was deemed their Cop of the Year. Officer Ferguson was commended in a resolution by the South Carolina House of Representatives for using CPR to save the life of a one-year-girl who nearly drowned in a bathtub over Easter weekend last year.

Terry-Ann also found time to join and perform admirably in the South Carolina National Guard. Fortunately for us, the lure of New York City – yes, there is a lure to New York City – has brought Terry-Ann back to us, and she is among your ranks today. Terry-Ann –

[Applause]

I can’t wait to see what great things she will accomplish here, on behalf of all New Yorkers. These are the kinds of amazing men and women the NYPD is hiring.

To all of today’s graduates – you now have the opportunity, starting today, to be integral parts of our future. You can be the ones to make the difference. You already have the unique ability to make New York City better for everyone. I know you’ll make us proud.

I want to thank the members of our Candidate Assessment Division and I want to thank the dedicated staff of the Police Academy. And finally, I’d like to thank the family and friends of our graduates who have joined us here today.

I’m going to speak to the police officers one more time. Make no mistake about it, you’re here today for one reason and that’s the people that are sitting up in the stands there. So, when you get home tonight make sure that you love them, make sure that you respect, and spend as much time with them as possible because they’re the reason that you’re here.

So, let’s give them a round of applause.

[Applause]

You are the ones who supported these officers as they embarked on this new journey and you’re the ones who will continue to be by their sides for years to come.

Thank you for everything you’ll continue to do for New York City’s newest cops.

Today is a day of celebration for everyone here. Enjoy it because we have a lot of work to do.

Three days from now most of you will be assigned in some way to our New Year’s Eve detail. Enjoy that too –

[Laughter]

Don’t worry, I’m working too, so, don’t get all excited. We’re all working, actually.

But remember that with the new year comes a new chapter in your lives. Let’s make the most of it together. Congratulations, again, to each of you and welcome to the NYPD.